Harry Potter and the Face of Destiny
by Bronze Eagle
Summary: Story unfinished; read at your own risk. It's Harry Potter's fifth year at Hogwarts. He was looking forward to having a normal year, at least as normal as it ever gets at Hogwarts. Then he meets a new student with a dark secret.
1. At the Orphanage

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads this. (It's my first fic ^_^) Enjoy! Note: the prologue's rather long. Also, *these* are used instead of italics, because I don't know html. *This chapter has been edited by the wonderful Ariel, my new beta. Thanks so much!*  
  
Prologue  
  
Lord Voldemort idly scratched his chin as he waited for his reports to come from his Death Eaters. Stupid fools. The one true follower he had, one who might even have someday earned the right to stand at his side ... that idiot Fudge! He slammed his hand on the arm of the high-backed chair he had claimed for his throne. Another Dementor was welcome, of course, but as a man Crouch had held so much potential ...  
  
Well. It wouldn't do to dwell on the past. But, as he thought of the past, another memory, almost buried, came floating back to him.  
  
He had gone to a bar on one of the nights when he was still Tom Riddle, Head Boy and Perfect of Hogwarts. The boy with no future. He had started his transformation that night, had used the Lithininal curse for the first time. On himself, of course. It had worked, he was stronger, but everything hurt. Killing Riddle would be hard. So he shut the schoolboy up with a spoon full of alcohol. The pain would stop, and Voldemort would be strong. No one could call him Riddle here, no Dumbledore to stop him. Soon, no one could stop him.   
  


He had just put some Muggle-borns in their place. He hadn't realized how much he had missed the thrill of snatching life away, the power coursing through him ... It hadn't been hard to fool them at Hogwarts, obviously, for only Dumledore had any suspicion of him at all. But now he was free of it all, and here in eastern Europe, no one asked too many questions. The wilderness of this place was the perfect place for him to expand his power; there was still so much he had to find!  


As he sat with these thoughts, lost in his ump-teenth glass of the strong Romanian liquor, a young woman eyed him from across the room. She knew a good-looking man when she saw one, and Tom Riddle was in his youth, not yet sunken and shriveled from the Dark power that surged through him. It had been so long since she'd had some fun, and he looked like he was drunk enough that he wouldn't mind ... or even remember much. She grinned. That was fine with her ...  
  
It had happened so quickly, Voldemort reflected, there wasn't much he could remember about the woman. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. The rest of his memories were confused, but enough for his older self to sneer at in disgust. Foolish physical desires. He'd have discarded the incident long ago, if it weren't for one thing. When he'd woken the next morning (she was gone hours before, of course,) he could only remember snatches of what had happened. After his hangover had cleared, he suddenly remembered what she had called him. "Beautiful Muggle." A witch, then. Moreover, he cursed inwardly, there was something that quite possibly had resulted from that brief union, something that never should have happened. A mistake.  
  
A son.  
  
And Voldemort never allowed mistakes to mar his plans.  
  
*****  
  
Scott Goodfellow paced anxiously, waiting for his wife and daughter to return. He couldn't have found them, not yet ...   
  
Just as he was about to run over to the door and start looking, it was thrown open. He looked up in sudden fear.  
  
"Gytha! You're all right! I was about to come look for you!"  
  
The woman who had just entered the small room scowled at him.  
  
"Of course I'm all right, I was barely gone fifteen minutes!"  
  
"And Robyn ..."  
  
Gytha sighed. "Yes, she's fine too. But, I have some news." She paused, and took a breath. "He's found us."  
  
"What?!?!"  


"He's not walking up the path just yet, don't worry," she said as he ran to the window and tore back the shade.  
  
"How ... how did you know, then?" he asked faintly, sitting down rather suddenly on a stool.  
  
She made a face. "The animals. Or rather, lack of them. I was going to get some news, but none of them are there. That's all the warning I need," she added firmly, as her husband made to protest.  
  
"We have to get her out of here, now," he said quietly.  
  
"Yeah. I know."  
  
Neither moved for a moment. Then Scott got up slowly and walked to the fireplace. He took the small vase of Alucinor powder off of the mantlepiece, and reached in.  
  
He paused. "Do you have the letters?"  
  
She swore. "I'll go get it."  
  
Leaving the bundle she'd had cradled in her arms on the couch next to Scott, Gytha ran into the next room. Scott looked down at his daughter, so frail and light. Already, though, she showed the distinctive traits of his family; the shockingly dark hair, the pale, nearly translucent skin, and the hazel eyes, apt to change from dark brown to flashing green, depending on the mood of the owner.  
  
"Um, honey, are you gonna stand there all day? 'Cause I hate to break it to you, but old Voldie's not getting any farther away."  
  
Scott winced, but threw the powder onto the fire hastily. He'd seen his wife when she was mad, and wasn't eager to repeat the experience.  
  
"The Orphanage for Wizarding children in North America, please. I'd like to speak with the director."   
  
The flames glowed violet for a moment, then a head appeared. "What do you want, I'm really quite busy ... oh. Hello, Scott."  
  
"Hi, Margaret. Listen, we don't have much time."  
  
The head gasped. "You mean he's found you? Just a minute ..."  
  
The couple heard her ordering the other occupants of the room out. Then she turned back to them. "So, do you want me to take Robyn for you? For now, at least?"  
  
He smiled grimly. "It may be longer than that." Margaret blanched. "But yes, that would be a good idea. He'll just follow us to her, otherwise, and we can face him now as well as anytime." Margaret started to protest, but Gytha cut her off.  
  
"He's right, dear. I know you well enough to be sure that you'll take good care of our Puck." The head in the fire grinned.  
  
"I like the nickname. Mind if I call her that?"  
  
"Not at all. Now, I know you can't take this basket in your hands, so you'll have to use your teeth. Oh, and, one more thing. Can you give her this letter? If we don't make it? When she's ready I want her to know about us. And there's one for you too."  
  
Margaret's face had lost all traces of humor. "I'll take them, but I do hope it won't be necessary. Try to beat him, won't you? It would do us all an awful lot of good. And not just you people in Europe, either. We're all suffering."  
  
Scott's face had gone hard. "We'll do all we can."  
  
"Both of us," Gytha added.  
  
"Well, the best of luck to you," Margaret said, blinking back tears. "I'll be waiting for your word, mind, so don't take too long."  
  
"Margaret, one last thing," Scott added hastily as Gytha knelt with the basket. "Tell Dumbledore, will you? I don't think we have time."  
  
"Sure. I'd better get going, then," she said reluctantly. "Just tuck the letters into the basket, and mind they don't fall in the fire."  
  
"Tell Robyn we love her."  
  
"Make sure she doesn't forget us."  
  
"I think you'll be safe from him, but if you need it, I'm sure Dumbledore can offer you his protection. We just figured it would be best if Robyn was out of the country."  
  
Gytha stood and stepped back to stand next to Scott. Margaret blinked once at them, for she couldn't speak with the basket in her mouth.  
  
"Finite Incantatum," whispered Scott.  
  
The two watched their child and friend wink out of sight, and turned to look their fate in the face as he bust through the door.  
  
That evening, the Dark Mark floated clearly in the sky above what was once a small country cottage in the woods.  


*****  


Harry Potter and The Face of Destiny 

By Bronze Eagle 

Chapter 1  
  
Robyn Goodfellow grinned. "You're joking, right?"  
  
Margaret shook her head. "Not this time, Puck."  
  
"But who'd want to adopt me? I've got to be the worst-behaved kid here. And it's not like I even want any other family than you."  
  
"Look, you're at an orphanage, for goodness sake, and you've been here for nearly fourteen years. Your parents said in their letter that they wanted you to be adopted when you were ready, and I think you are. Hogwarts is an excellent school, so you'll get a good education. Well, end of an education, anyway."   
  
"But why'd they have to live in England?! That's like a hundred thousand miles away! If I send you an owl, it'll die half way across the ocean!"  
  
Margaret chuckled. "I doubt it. Messenger owls are very well trained."  
  
"But I don't even know these people! What are they like? Do they have kids?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, they do."  
  
"Really?" Puck was so startled that she stopped ranting long enough to stare, open-mouthed, at Margaret. "Why didn't you tell me before? How many? Are they boys or girls? How old are they? What are their names? When will I meet them? And the rest of the family," she added as an afterthought.  
  
"You didn't really give me time, one, a boy, fifteen, Draco, and soon."  
  
"Draco?"  
  
"Yes, Draco. And don't you dare laugh at him to his face. If this is going to be your new family, you should at least try to contain yourself." Puck had gone a brilliant shade of scarlet as she tried, unsuccessfully, to hold in her mirth.  
  
"Sorry," she gasped out finally. Then, "Wait a minute. What did you mean, soon? How soon is soon?"   
  
"The whole family is coming by Floo powder in about an hour."  
  
"AN HOUR?!"  
  
"I suggest you get ready."  
  
"Do I have to leave now?" Puck's voice suddenly sounded small and frightened.  
  
"Of course not. Just make yourself presentable and meet me down in the Green Room."  
  
"Right. Okay. I'll be there."  
  
"And at least try to be on time."  
  
"Don't worry! This is me we're talking about."  
  
"Exactly," Margaret muttered as she left the room.   
  


Puck's grin fell from her face as soon as the door shut behind her friend. Move? Out of the country? To a different continent? Puck swallowed hard. All the people there would have funny accents. Of course, they'd all say she was the one with the funny accent. I've always been different, she thought, but I won't know anyone. That's not true, she scolded, you'll know Draco. She grinned. Draco the Dragon. Heh. She hoped Draco would be the sort of sibling you could tease. She'd need all the confidence she could get, and being familiar with at least one person would be good. Maybe she would like some of his friends.  
  
*****  
  
Draco only barely stifled a shout of mixed rage and surprise. Adopt a sister? Never! He would simply refuse. But his father's next words brought that thought crashing down around his ears.  
  
"My master has commanded us, as a high-standing family with access to Hogwarts, to be the ones to adopt this child."  
  
"But father! The Dark Lord has commanded this?! How ... why would he be interested in this child?"   
  
"It is not our place to question my Lord's commands," Lucius growled, his voice dangerously low. "He will order, and we will obey. I have been too soft with you, boy. I must treat you with harsher discipline. You need to know how things stand in the world, for the wishes of a half-grown boy do not, by any stretch of the imagination, stand higher than those of the Dark Lord."   
  
"Yes, father," Draco murmured hastily. "I did not mean to show disrespect to my Lord."  
  
"Nevertheless, you did."   
  


Draco looked up, eyes wide, in sudden fear.  
  
"You are nearly grown, and it is better I teach you to honor Him now, than let him be cursed with your stupidity when you join him. I do not wish to have you learn as I did." Lucius Malfoy, turned on his heel and, face from his son, said, "Follow me, Draco. Don't try what you did before."   
  
Draco followed his father, feeling numb, barely registering where he was headed. His father hadn't punished him like this, with such merciless discipline, for years. He still had the scars from the first time, when he had tried to run, though. That was part of the reason he always dressed in such privacy at Hogwarts, if anyone found out that his father had beaten him, he would be flogged once the man in question found out. Others may have thought it was vanity, and he was putting attempting to put himself above others; perhaps this was true; but no one but his mother and father had ever seen the scars. He meant to keep it that way.   
  
He scowled. A sister. What could Voldemort want with a girl? She couldn't be used to hurt Potter, he probably didn't even know her. She was American, after all. With the funny accent. He frowned deeper, suddenly. Or was she? Hadn't his father said something about her family being from England? Perhaps ...  
  
"Well, boy? What are you standing there for? Are you afraid? You should be. I don't do this nearly half as much as I used to. You seem to be learning. But you should know, not keep making foolish mistakes."  
  
Draco swallowed hard. He hoped that this new girl might be of some use. Perhaps his father would shift some of his attention to her.  
  
*****  
  
Harry Potter yawned luxuriously, stretched, and slowly opened his eyes. He grinned to himself. Today was the day he was going to Ron's house! No more Dursleys until next summer. He even had managed to work out a ride with Hermione's parents, since she was going to the Burrow as well.   
  
Suddenly he frowned. As he had sat up and looked around, he'd noticed that Hedwig's cage was empty. Surely she wasn't still out? He'd left the window open in hopes that she would come back last night. Evidently not.  
  
He pushed those thoughts aside. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. And anyway, she knew how to find the Burrow if she didn't come back to the Dursley's in time.  
  
*****  
  
Harry raced down the stairs, trying unsuccessfully to pull on his socks at the same time. The resulting headlong fall down the stairs didn't faze him for a moment, though. There were more pressing things on his mind. The Grangers would be here in fifteen minutes! He kept checking his watch nervously. (He had gotten a new watch from Hermione on his birthday, since his old one hadn't worked since the second task.) The numbers still read 8:45. I wish I hadn't overslept, he thought to himself. But he'd been so tired, staying up until nearly three last night, too keyed up to sleep.   
  


He checked his watch again, and cursed. 8:46. He dashed into the kitchen, and grabbed some toast from the table. Eating it in one gulp, he looked for more, then choked as he realized he'd just eaten toasted bread, un-buttered. Looking around again, all he saw were pieces of toasted bread lying on the counter, with no butter in sight. Dudley, he groaned to himself. Of course there's no buttered toast.   
  


Dudley Dursley was still on his diet, but his mother had relented somewhat on the toast, as long as there was no butter. Harry found this rather disgusting, but, as in the year before, had managed to survive on food from his friends. Sirius had sent him a really spectacular birthday cake this year, and he had enjoyed it enormously. He suspected that the twins wouldn't be above spiking any food he brought to their house to test their newest inventions, so he had decided to finish it off before he got anywhere near them or their house. He'd have the remainder of the cake on the drive.   
  
*****  
  
Hermione Granger was very cross. Her mother, who was going to drive Harry and herself to the Burrow, had been called into the office for an emergency operation, so she'd had to get her father to drive. No offence to him, she thought, wincing, but I'll be very glad to get my apparating licence in a few years. She had to clutch the edge of the seat as he careened around a corner, narrowly missing a huge truck. "Well, at least we won't be late," she muttered as Crookshanks yowled from his basket in the back seat. She had decided against letting him out on the drive, thinking he'd be safer if he had the extra protection of the wicker basket in case he bounced around.   
  
*****  
  
Harry fidgeted in his seat nervously, glancing at his watch every few seconds. Come on, Hermione, only a few more minutes. Please be early. Uncle Vernon had kicked him out of the kitchen, saying that Dudley needed to eat in peace. Harry's enormous cousin was always jumpy around wizards, and the fact that Harry would be fully qualified in only a few more years evidently bothered him, for he could barely sit in the same room with him for two consecutive minutes.  
  
Harry sighed. He didn't mind, but it got depressing after a while, having someone who avoided you like the plague. Actually, three someones, but at least his aunt and uncle looked at him occasionally.   
  
*Screech* Harry looked up, startled. He had been sitting on his trunk in the hallway, so he was first to open the door. This was rather lucky, since it turned out to be Hermione, looking a bit green, who was walking up the neatly paved path.  
  
At the sound of the door, she looked up. "Harry!"  
  
"Hi! How are you? No, don't come in," he added hastily, as she came towards him. "I can get my trunk alone, and my uncle doesn't like wi-"  
  
"DON'T SAY THAT WORD IN MY HOUSE!" a voice bellowed from inside.  
  
Harry grinned, and dragged his trunk out the door. "He doesn't like wizards."  
  
Uncle Vernon appeared in the doorway, looking as though he had just had an accident with some purple paint.  
  
"I was outside when I said i-" Harry began hastily, but Uncle Vernon, who still towered over him, strode over.  
  
"NEVER say that word in my presence again. If I hear you say that one more time -"  
  
"Oh, hello," said an oblivious Mr. Granger, who had just walked around the car. "I thought Hermione was taking a while, and that Harry might need help with his trunk."  
  
Uncle Vernon stopped abruptly. Smiling cheerfully, Harry said, "That's very nice of you Mr. Granger. Should I put it in the trunk?"  
  
Uncle Vernon, seeming at a loss as he watched his nephew converse with this man, who, as far as he was concerned, was just as bad as a wizard, turned on his heel and stormed into the house, slamming the door behind him.  
  
"Well, that's gotten rid of him," Harry said as he helped Mr. Granger to lift the trunk.   
  
Hermione seemed dazed. "You actually lived with them for ten years?"  
  
"Sure. It wasn't that bad. Once you get used to the hand-me-down clothes, the sleeping conditions, the verbal abuse ..." he trailed off. It had been a lot to put up with. But then, he'd been used to it, he hadn't known any other way of life. Suddenly, he felt very envious of Ron and Hermione. He quickly brushed the emotion aside, and a moment later had forgotten he had ever felt it.  
  
*****  
  
Draco Malfoy was curled up on the floor, breathing shallowly. Every breath he took felt like someone was stabbing knives into his back. He hadn't had a beating this bad in over ten years. He had kept himself kneeling until his father had left, but then had fallen over and blacked out.  
  
His mother would come, eventually, to fix the cuts, but he knew there would be no pain relief. There never was. He grimaced, and sat up. The world promptly spun and tipped over again, causing him to shout out in pain. This time he took it slowly, first raising his head, then stretching out his legs. After nearly a minute, he was sitting, legs stretched out in front of him.  
  
It was the return Dark Lord. It had to be, that was the only thing that could have awakened the awful, cold cruelty that had always been inside his father. Lucius Malfoy was, once again, a Death Eater, at the beck and call of his master. Draco wondered why, instead of feeling elated, (Potter would finally get what was coming to him,) he felt hollow, as though there were some dreadful fear slowly eating him away inside.  
  
*****  
  
A/N: How was that? It's my first chapter, so I'm rather inexperienced, but I'd appreciate any and all questions/comments/constructive criticism in your reviews! 


	2. To Meet a Malfoy

Harry Potter and the Face of Destiny 

By Bronze Eagle 

Chapter 2 

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed!!! I *really* appreciate it, it means a lot to me. Also, I tried to update my profile, but it didn't work, so it's depressingly short right now. Thanks to Demosthenes for the story! *This chapter has been edited by Ariel, my beta, and reposted by me. Kudos to Ariel, thanks!* 

***** 

Puck was in a daze. She had spent the last fifteen minutes sitting on her bed where Margaret had left her, thinking. Meeting the Malfoys was really just a token gesture, everything was practically settled already. She'd be moving to England in a month, just in time to pick up her school things. 

She had heard good things about the school. She'd even read about it at the Academy. 

A lump formed in her throat as she thought of her old school. I'll miss it, she thought, even though I don't really have any friends there. Of course you do, another voice in her head said. But not *real* friends, she replied miserably. 

She shook herself. Great, I'm talking to the little voices in my head now, she thought. I suppose they'll come in person next ... 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a shout. "Puck, are you ready yet? You still haven't had breakfast, you know." 

"Oh! Right ... I'm coming!" she called back. Where were her socks? The wooden floors were always cold early in the morning. She glanced at her watch. 10:48. Great. The Malfoys would be there any minute ... 

***** 

Draco groaned and sat up. "Thank you, mother," he managed to say. 

"You really shouldn't make your father angry, you know. He's been feeling much more -" 

"Yeah. I know. You don't have to say it." 

"You should get changed. Your father won't be pleased at all if you wear those clothes. We need to make a good impression, and if we fail to get the girl, it won't be only him who suffers." 

Her son winced. "Right." 

Narcissa stood and walked to the door. "Ten minutes, Draco," her voice floated back to him. 

Draco stood and walked after his mother. 

***** 

Puck fidgeted nervously in her seat. Normally, she would have loved the chance to look around the Green Room. All official business was conducted here, so there were cabinets full of papers on everything from complete biographies of everyone who lived at the orphanage to how many times a week the director had strawberry jam on her toast. The room was green in name only. Puck had no idea where that name came from, except that Margaret had called it that. Now that she was part of the official business going on here, however, Puck was not nearly as keen to be where she was. 

"Well, are you ready?" Puck jumped. Margaret walked, smiling, into the room, and announced, "Just a minute or so left." 

"Yeah, I noticed," Puck said dryly. She had been staring at her watch for the last five minutes. 

"Well, just act like yourself, and think about if you think you can get along with them. If you *really* don't think it'll work out, you don't have to go through with this." 

"Yeah, but I was thinking, you know, I'll ... I'll have a family again." 

Margaret grinned. "That's the spirit. Oh, look, here they come!" 

The fire was glowing bright green. 

***** 

Draco decided that he *really* didn't like traveling long distances with Floo powder. Normally, of course, he was just fine with it, but spinning around and around was starting to make him seasick. He glanced down, but seeing the waves crashing below wasn't reassuring for some reason. 

Glancing up, he saw his mother and father emerging from a fireplace up ahead. Thank God, he thought, we're nearly there. Then, before he knew it, he was standing, breathless, in the fireplace of a strange room. 

***** 

Puck looked up. For about thirty seconds, nothing happened. What's taking them so long? she thought frantically. Maybe they fell into the ocean. Or not, another voice said. "Shut up, both of you," she muttered under her breath. There was something in the fireplace, spinning and growing, and suddenly, a man was standing there. 

He was tall, and had a thin, pointy sort of face, Puck thought. The man stepped out of the fireplace to make way for a woman, who looked rather pretty, at least when she smiled. Behind her was a boy, who could only be Draco. He looked exactly like a younger version of his father. 

Then Margaret was on her feet, smiling at the family as though they were long-lost relatives. 

"Hello, how are you? I'm Margaret Wilson, director of The Orphanage for Wizarding Children in North America. You must be the Malfoys." 

"Yes," said the man, "I am Lucius. This is my wife, Narcissa, and our son, Draco." 

Lucius turned to Puck. "And you must be Robyn Goodfellow," he said in a soft voice. "We are all very pleased to meet you." 

"It's very nice to meet all of you, as well," she replied nervously, trying not to notice that Draco was staring at her with a puzzled look on his face. She stood up, and shook each of their hands, shuddering slightly as she shook Lucius's. It was icy cold, as though he had a body temperature of about fifty degrees. 

"So, are you going to Hogwarts this winter?" Draco asked in a high, nasal voice. 

"Yeah, do you go there now?" she replied, thinking, Well, he talks, that's something. 

"Of course, that's the only place to go, it's much nearer than Durmstrang or Beauxbatons," he said, rolling his eyes as though it were obvious. 

That may not be such a good thing, though, she thought as he turned to inspect the room. 

"Puck, why don't you show Draco around? I've got some things to discuss with his parents," Margaret said. 

She was annoyed. Spend time *alone* with that snob? No, thank you! 

"Yes, go on Draco, it will be an excellent opportunity for you to get to know each other," the cold man, Lucius, said. 

Draco raised his eyebrows at his father, but said nothing. The beating was still too fresh in his mind. 

"Yes, I'd like to see this place," he said finally, after a sharp glance from his mother. 

"Um, right, well, come on then, this way," the girl said, walking out the door. 

Draco scrutinized her carefully. She looked so familiar. He felt as though he had seen her before, but couldn't quite recall where. The green eyes, the slim, short figure, the dark hair that looked as though it was usually poking out every which way, although now she had it pulled back ... He nearly groaned aloud in frustration. Where had he seen her? 

Puck, for her part, didn't seem too keen on striking up any sort of conversation. She merely walked around, pointing at doors, and saying things like, "This is the girl's dorm, but I can't show you it because boys aren't allowed in," or "This is the kitchen, but they're working, so we can't go in." 

Finally, Draco grew frustrated. "Is there anywhere in this place where we *can* go?" he drawled. 

Puck spun on him, anger flashing in her eyes. Draco drew back a step, almost involuntarily. Now he recognized who she looked like. That was the look Potter got in his eyes every time Draco started baiting him or his friends. 

"Listen, I didn't ask to show you around, so if you want a real tour, you're gonna have to find someone else." Draco almost smiled. This girl didn't seem to have the same sense of ... decency ... as his rival. 

"My apologies," Draco said, unable to keep a smirk off his face. 

"What's so funny?" she snarled. 

"I was just thinking, you're going to get along pretty well with Harry Potter and his bunch of do-gooders." 

She looked puzzled. "You know Harry Potter? And you actually talk about him like that? He defeated the Dark Lord when he was a year old!" 

Draco grinned more malevolently than ever. "Defeated him, yes ... temporarily." 

"What do you mean, 'temporarily'?" 

"Haven't you heard over here in the States? Of course, Fudge probably kept it hushed up ... he's back." 

"Who?" 

"You-Know-Who." 

"No I don't, and it's very rude of you to ..." She trailed off, staring. "He's *back*?" she croaked. "Why wasn't it in the paper, for Heaven's sake?!" Draco smiled. "You're just lying, aren't you? I suppose you think it's funny, joking about it like that! Well it's not, and I'm going to ..." 

What she was going to do, Draco never found out, for he interrupted her, saying quietly, "I'm not joking." 

She stopped in mid-sentence, staring at him. "That's not funny, I don't believe you." 

"Believe what you like, you can ask Potter on the train in three weeks. He was there." 

"THAT'S NOT FUNNY, JOKING ABOUT IT LIKE THAT!" she shouted, then paused. "Three weeks? I thought we had at least a month until school began," she said with a suspicious tone in her voice. 

Trying to ignore the stares from people passing them in the hall, Draco said, "No. Term starts the first of September. You'll be sorted, just like all the first years, then." 

"Sorted? What do you mean?" 

Draco sighed. "Well, there are four houses at Hogwarts; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each one has different qualities that are looked for when you're sorted, and you're put in whichever house suits you the best." 

"Oh, right, we learned a little about that at the Academy." 

He gave her a startled look. "You learned about Hogwarts?" 

Puck made a face. "Yeah. Our professors wanted us to learn about 'foreign wizards' and 'how their education differs from ours'. No one paid much attention, though. Which house are you in?" 

"Slytherin," he replied, thinking, Why don't *we* learn about other wizarding schools? 

"Really? I haven't heard much about any of the houses, so I don't know much about them. Which one's Harry Potter in? And what year is he, anyway?" 

"Gryffindor. Along with all of his do-gooder friends. And he's in the fifth year too, or will be." 

"You mean you actually have classes with him? Wow." 

Draco snorted. "Only a few, and that's more than enough. He's not as great as everyone says." 

"Well considering that you don't seem to like him much, I won't take your word for it." She glanced at her watch. "We'd better get back to the Green Room, it's nearly time for you to go." She hesitated. "Nice to meet you." 

"You too," Draco replied, startled. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all ... He hoped that the Dark Lord wasn't going to kill her. She was one of the only people who had ever treated him with some decency. Except Potter, said a voice in his mind. He was polite enough to you in that robe shop, when you first met him. Draco scowled. And then he pushed me away, first chance he got, on the train, he thought back furiously. You weren't exactly polite to him, though, the voice said. Shut up! he thought savagely. Little voices in his head were never going to change the fact that he hated Harry Potter. 

***** 

Harry now understood exactly why Hermione had looked so green when she came up the Dursley's path. No offence to Mr. Granger, he was a very nice man, but he wasn't sure he'd want him operating on his teeth. 

"Nearly there!" Mr. Granger shouted over the sound the screeching horn of a car going in the other direction. Finally, Harry thought, I didn't think we'd ever get here. 

Next to him, Hermione's face reflected many of the same thoughts. "So, tell me again," he muttered to her, "why your *mum* couldn't drive us?" 

"She had to do an operation," Hermione groaned. 

"Oh, right," Harry replied as they turned a corner and Crookshanks bounced into his lap. The cat, contrary to being terrified, looked as though he were having the time of his life. I guess he's gotten used to Mr. Granger's driving by now, then, Harry thought as they turned another corner and the cat bounced happily away. Lucky this isn't a convertible, or he might bounce right out. 

"Here we are!" said Mr. Granger, screeching to a halt. "The Burrow, right?" 

Harry grinned happily as the entire Weasley family (except Percy) piled out of the house to greet the newcomers. 

"Hello, hello, how are you?" Mr. Weasley said as he shook Mr. Granger's hand. Mr. Weasley began excitedly to examine the car. 

"So, this is called a 'spark plug'?" he asked Mr. Granger, who then began to explain the workings of the vehicle. 

"Thanks for the ride, Mr. Granger!" Harry called as he dragged his things out of the trunk. 

"No problem, Harry, anytime! Now, see here Arthur, this is the wire that carries the electricity to the motor, which ..." 

Wondering briefly whether either of the men knew what they were doing, Harry dragged his trunk up to the house with the help of the Weasley boys (Charlie and Bill were both staying for a week to visit with the family). Hermione was chattering to Ginny animatedly as Ron, Fred, and George struggled with her trunk. 

"Gee, Hermione," gasped Ron, his face streaming, "what do you have in here, half the bookshop?" 

"No, I just got a few extra books to help with my studies. We *do*have O.W.L.s this year, and I thought I should start preparing now." 

"Yeah, just a *few* extra books," Ron muttered to Harry as he fell in step beside him, "Lend a hand here, will you? This thing weighs a ton ..." 

Seeing that Bill and Charlie had his (much lighter) trunk under control, he joined Ron, but after a moment wondered, "Um, Bill? Charlie? You two are out of school, right?" 

"'Course we are, Harry old chap," said Bill. 

"We've been out for years, you know that," added Charlie. 

"Well, if you're fully qualified wizards, why don't you just float the trunks over to the house?" 

The two looked bemused, as thought the thought hadn't struck them (which, Harry thought, it probably hadn't). 

"Harry, my boy, you're a genius," Charlie proclaimed after a moment. 

"Unfortunately, that idea won't get us far," commented Ron. 

"My dear Ronniekins, it's superb, what are you talking about?" asked Fred in confusion. 

"I think he noticed that you're already at the house," Ginny commented dryly from behind them. 

George grinned. "Three of a kind, excellent. Harry, Ginny, and Ron can be our resident geniuses for the remainder of the summer. If you want someone to blow the socks off you with a really obvious statement, you've come to the right place." Everyone laughed and trooped into the house. 

***** 

Time really does fly when you're having fun, Harry thought contentedly as he sat outside in the evening shadows. He and Hermione had already been at the Burrow for two weeks, but it seemed as if they'd arrived yesterday. Bill and Charlie had left, but not before Charlie had shown him some tricks for Quidditch. "Just in case you're the team captain this year," he had said with a grin. Harry felt much more confident now that he had Charlie's advice, but he still wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle being captain. The Gryffindor Quidditch team would need a new player this year, and five new ones next year, when Katie, Alicia, Angelina, Fred, and George left. He sighed. Maybe one of them could be captain ... 

"Hi, Harry," said Hermione as she and Ginny walked over. The two girls had formed a strong friendship, and Harry wouldn't be surprised if he saw a lot more of the younger girl this year. 

"Hi, Hermione. Hi, Ginny," he replied, noticing that Ginny didn't blush when he said something to her anymore. 

"So, what're you going to get in Diagon Alley tomorrow? We have a load of new books we need, probably because of the OWLs." 

Harry groaned. "You know, I was trying *not* to think about those ..." 

"Well, think about them or not, you still have to take them," Hermione replied. "But, you know what's interesting, is that all we need for Defense Against the Dark Arts is a higher edition of the book we had for Professor Lupin." 

"Really?" Harry took his list out of his back pocket. "Do you think he's come back?" he asked excitedly. 

"Maybe." 

"That would be really great!" Ron said as he came over. "Listen, Harry, we've got to help clean up the dishes." 

"We'll help," said Hermione and Ginny together. 

"Really? That's nice of you ..." Harry began. Ginny interrupted. 

"As long as you two help *us* tomorrow," she said. 

The boys agreed, so the four of them set to work cleaning up the dinner dishes. 

***** 

The same day, Puck was doing her final packing. She was sadly folding everything neatly and putting it in her trunk. She had to leave two weeks earlier than she had thought, because the Hogwarts term started earlier than the one at the Academy. She had said all her goodbyes earlier that day, and would travel by Floo powder to Malfoy Mansion that evening. Her new family would take her to Diagon Alley the following day to get all her schoolbooks and equipment. Her parents had had an account at Gringotts, and they had left her a sizeable amount of money, so that wouldn't be a problem. She grinned slightly to herself. The Malfoys wouldn't be able to touch the money, all of it was for her education. Of course, this meant that she had to buy certain things for herself, but it did feel good to know that even if she was a part of their family, they still couldn't control all of her. 

"Puck, are you ready to go? The Malfoys are coming to pick you up, and they'll be here any minute." 

"Yes, I'm done," she called down, closing her trunk and trying not to burst into tears. Draco wasn't that bad, even if he did hate Harry Potter and have delusions that the Dark Lord was back, but his parents seemed cold and distant, unlike anyone she was used to here. Maybe Hogwarts would be different, and she could make some friends. 

"I need some help with this trunk, could someone come up here?" she yelled out the door. Friends, what an interesting idea, she thought, maybe I'll make some *real* friends at Hogwarts, not just fair-weather ones. 

Margaret strode into the room. "Okay, I'll take this end of the trunk, you take that one." 

"Right." I'll miss Margaret, she thought suddenly as they slowly made their way down the stairs. She's my only real friend, and she knew my parents. Thinking of her parents gave her the familiar lump in her throat. The only thing she had from them was a letter explaining her heritage, and a photo of the three of them, when she was only a baby. It was a wizard photograph, so they were all waving happily, but sometimes when she looked at it closely, she thought she saw tears in the corners of her parent's eyes. She wondered if they had taken the photograph knowing that they would soon be murdered. Blinking rapidly, she set down her end of the trunk as they entered the Green Room. 

Suddenly, Puck threw her arms around Margaret and sobbed like a child. "I'll miss you," she choked out. 

"I'll miss you too, Puck. You have to be brave, and I know you can. Your parents will be watching out for you, because they love you just as much as I do. Tell me all about Hogwarts in your letters, too. Your father went there, you know." 

Puck lifted her tear-stained face. "Really?" 

"Yes, but I'll tell you about it in an owl, because they'll be here any minute." 

"Okay. Right." She sighed. "I think I'm ready for this." 

"That's good, because here they come." 

"Margaret?" 

"Yes hon?" 

"Goodbye." 

"Bye. I love you." 

"You too." 

***** 

Please review! And again, thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, it was great to read your comments! 


	3. Diagon Alley

Harry Potter and the Face of Destiny 

By Bronze Eagle 

Chapter 3 

A/N: Thanks to all reviewers! Bless you! (Victory! My bio updated! It's not all short now.^_^) Thanks, Silver Birch, I'll try to proofread my stuff better! I think you can find my e-mail in my profile. 

***** 

Puck turned restlessly in her bed. This king size bed was huge compared to the little twin size one she was used to at the orphanage, yet she found herself missing it. Everything was so strange here. She smiled slightly. Draco had given a much better tour to her of Malfoy Manor than she had given him of the orphanage. But, she supposed, she was going to live here, so knowing where things were would be useful, to say the least. 

She sighed. "I suppose Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy aren't that bad," she murmured, "but they seem so aloof, Lucius especially. I don't know how well I'm going to adapt to this place. And even Hogwarts won't be much better. Everyone my age will have already spent four years there, and I'll be just beginning. I won't even know the teachers, or what's expected of us in the classes." She sighed again. "I wonder what house I'll be in." 

***** 

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley all went to Diagon Alley the next day to get their school supplies (and, in the case of the twins, just plain supplies). Unfortunately for Harry, they used Floo powder. Hermione didn't seem to have as bad a time with it as he did, so Harry was the only one disappointed by this decision. He didn't come out at the wrong gate this time, though, nor did he get sick, so Harry was in high spirits as he, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny walked along the street. 

Suddenly, Harry noticed something odd. He poked Ron in the ribs. "Ouch! What is it?" 

Harry pointed. "Look, it's Malfoy." 

Ron groaned. "And I was having a good day, too ... Hey, who's that girl he's with?" 

Harry had been wondering the same thing. "She looks a lot like you," Hermione whispered. He had to agree. The same eyes, hair, skin color ... she even wore glasses. 

"I'm going to find out who she is," Ginny said. The rest of them followed reluctantly, not sure if they wanted to meet someone who would willingly spend time around Draco Malfoy. Ginny, however, marched right up. 

"Well, look who's coming our way," Draco sneered to Puck as a group of people walked towards them. 

"Who are they?" she asked. 

"It's Potter." 

"Really? Harry Potter? Those must be his friends ... I thought you didn't like each other. Why are they coming over here?" 

"I bet they're curious so see who would actually *want* to spend time with me. Come on, we still haven't got all your things." 

"Wait, I'd like to meet them," she protested. 

"Your loss," he muttered. "I'll be waiting in Flourish and Blotts, over there, across the street." He pointed. "I really would rather spend as little time as possible in their vicinity." 

"Okay, see you there," she said, and turned as Ginny walked up to her. "Hello." 

"Hi, I'm Ginny Weasley, who are you?" 

"My name's Robyn Goodfellow, but you can call me Puck. Everyone does." 

"Nice to meet you," said a slightly older girl with brown curly hair. "I'm Hermione Granger. These two," she indicated the two boys standing awkwardly behind her, "are Ron Weasley and Harry Potter." 

"Pleased to meet you too," said Puck. 

***** 

From behind the shop window, Draco scowled. I wonder if she'll remember if I exist, he thought acidly. This is just wonderful. Her second day here and she's consorting with mudbloods and do-gooders. He scowl deepened. Well, I do have her money, so I may as well give it to her and tell her where to meet me. She'll probably want to tag along with Potter and his gang. 

Draco made his way out of the shop and across the street. "Hey Puck!" he called. She glanced around, then spotted him. 

"Hi! What is it?" 

Draco noted the startled expressions on her companions' faces and smirked. "I thought you might want to finish getting your things, so I decided to bring your money back to you, before I go wait in the Leaky Cauldron." 

"Aren't you going to help me get my stuff?" 

He smiled bitterly. "Your *friends* can help you. I'm sure you'll have much more fun with them than you would have had with me." He threw the bag he was holding to her, and spun on his heel and left. 

"What was that all about?" Ron wondered out loud. 

They tuned to Puck, and were startled to see her looking almost teary-eyed. "That stupid git," she said angrily, using a term she had picked up from Draco. "See you all later, I've got to go find him." She ran in the direction Draco had gone. The rest of them hesitated, and followed. 

***** 

Draco jogged blindly towards the Leaky Cauldron. How could he have been so stupid as to think she would like him? All it took was one look, and she was off to Potter. Why did Potter do this to him? She was his sister now, for crying out loud, and he barely even knew her. Why couldn't she give him a chance? He was suddenly startled to find that he was almost in tears. That made him angry. Who was she to invade his life like that? He hadn't asked for this! And, worst of all, why did he actually like her? He could practically hear himself making an effort to make her feel at home when he thought back to when he'd given her the tour of the Manor. WHY? 

"Draco! Get over here, you stupid git!" To his utter amazement, Puck ran up next to him. 

"What are you doing here?" he snarled. "Why aren't you with your friends? They care about you, I'm sure. I'm just your brother, after all." 

She grabbed his arm and pulled him to a halt. "Is *that* what this is about? Listen, Mr. I'm-Curled-Up-In-A-Little-Ball- 'Cause-I'm-Feeling-Sorry-For-Myself, I just met them about a minute ago. I think they're nice, even if you won't give them a chance, but you're right, you *are* my brother, and I wish you'd start acting like it, because family is supposed to stick together, not bail out at the first sign of trouble. Okay, I'll go shopping with them, but only if you come." 

As Puck berated her new brother, Harry and his friends watched in wonder. "She actually cares," Ron muttered. 

"Her *brother*?" said Hermione. "I've never seen her before. She wasn't there at the World Cup." 

"She must be adopted," said Ginny. 

"How would you know?" asked Ron. 

"Oh, just think for once, Ron," she said irritably. "She doesn't look anything like the rest of the family, none of us have seen her before, and Draco is questioning her about her friends like she doesn't have any, or if she does, they're not here." 

"She's right," said Harry. "Let's go over and see if she's, er, done." 

***** 

An hour later Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Puck, and Draco were walking to the Leaky Cauldron together. Draco had given up complaining about half an hour before. "I still don't see why you wanted to bring *them* along," he would mutter occasionally. Whenever he did so, however, Puck would shoot him a dark look and mutter something about 'sibling rivalry.' 

"You know," she burst out suddenly, "I don't get it with you two. WHY do you hate each other so much?" 

Harry and Draco glared at each other. "He started it," they said together. Everyone burst out laughing. 

"What's so funny?" Harry asked defensively. 

"Both of you," Puck said. "You're so much alike, but you still hate each other's guts. When did you meet? It sure seems like you've had a long time to build up your dislike." 

Then they told Puck the whole story about Harry living with the Dursleys, although it was Draco's first time hearing the full thing as well. 

"You mean they actually locked you in the cupboard, Potter?" he said once, then stopped quickly at the look on Puck's face. 

"That was awful! How could they do that to you?" 

"I guess they just don't like wizards," Harry said quietly. 

"You see, *this* is why they shouldn't let Muggle-borns into Hogwarts. They aren't the same ..." Draco trailed off at the sight of the rest of them staring at him, especially Hermione. "Oh, right, present company excused, of course," he said quickly. 

Puck sighed. "Draco, most Muggle-borns aren't like that. I knew a lot of people at my old school who were from Muggle families, and they were perfectly nice." 

"Where did you go to school before you came here?" Hermione asked, shooting a nasty glance at Draco. 

"The New York Academy for Young Witches and Wizards, in the wizarding section of New York City, New York in the US." 

"There's a wizarding section of New York?" asked Hermione. "I've been to New York, but I didn't know there was a wizarding section of it. How do you get there?" 

"There are entrances in a lot of the subway tunnels, so you can get there from almost anywhere in the city." 

"Subway?" asked Ron, puzzled. 

"The Muggles here in Britain call it the Underground, I'm sure your father would know all about it," said Draco, much to everyone's surprise. 

"How do you know about something that 'Muggle'?" asked Hermione in surprise. 

"You're not the only one who's taken Muggle Studies, you know," he replied smugly as the entered the Leaky Cauldron. 

Well, well, well, thought a figure watching them from the shadows, I do believe dear little Draco is fraternizing with the enemy. We shall have to teach him a lesson, now, won't we? The cloaked figure grinned cruelly and slipped off into the night. 

***** 

Fred and George nearly died of shock when they saw Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco Malfoy, and a strange girl walk over to them in the Leaky Cauldron. They both looked up, hearing footsteps, choked on their butterbeer, and spat it out onto the table in perfect synchronization. 

"What's *he* doing here?" they said together, wiping their mouths. 

Puck burst out laughing, earning a glare from the twins. 

"Yeah," said Angelina as she, Katie, Alicia, and Lee Jordan walked over to the group, "aren't you two sworn enemies or something?" 

"And who's she?" asked Katie. 

Harry sighed. "This is Puck. She's Draco's new adopted sister from the United States." 

The older teenagers goggled at them. "Adopted?!" 

"Yes," said Draco smoothly. "She just came by Floo powder yesterday, and she'll be a fifth year at Hogwarts at the beginning of the term." 

"You know, I can talk for myself, Draco," Puck said. "How do you do?" She held out a hand to Alicia, who took it gingerly. "I only bite on days that end with 'y', don't worry." 

At this, everyone laughed and shook Puck's hand, effectively accepting her. However, Harry noticed, no one made any move to talk to Draco. He sighed, and wondered if this peace between them would last. 

"Worried about something, Potter?" murmured Draco. 

"Well, I can't help noticing that they're not too keen on you, even if they do accept Puck. I just hope you're not too offended." 

Draco blinked slowly. "I can deal with it. After all, I'm not exactly used to warm a reception from any Gryffindor, much less all of you." 

Harry had to agree. 

***** 

Puck was grinning from ear to ear as she and Draco went to meet Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy at Gringotts. 

"It looks as though you had fun, judging from the absurd grin you're wearing," Draco commented. 

"Yeah, they were nice," she said. "I'm glad you got along. I was hoping you and Harry wouldn't kill each other, but it worked out well." 

"Yeah ... Do you get the feeling we're being watched?" 

She glanced around nervously. "Actually, yeah, you see that person over there in the cloak?" she asked in an undertone. Draco looked over to where she had indicated, and turned several shades whiter than his normal pale color. 

"Here," he said hoarsely. "Gringotts is right around the corner, make a dash for it, but don't look like you're running from anything. Just walk faster." 

"What's the matter?" 

"Just GO!" 

With a last terrified glance behind him, Draco walked as fast as he could around the corner and out of sight. 

"That's right, little ones," hissed a voice from inside the cloak. "Run, run as far and as fast as you can, but I'll catch you in the end." 

***** 

"Right, we can stop now," Draco said as he swerved around the corner and nearly collided with Puck. 

"What was that all about?" 

"I, er, thought I knew them, but I guess not," he said. 

"Must not get along very well with them. Who did you think it was?" 

You *really* don't want to know, he thought to himself. Out loud, he replied, "Okay, here we are, there's mum ... I don't see dad, though." Another chill ran down his spine. Three guesses where he is, he thought, and the first two don't count. "Come on, it's time to go home." 

"What about your father?" she asked as they walked up the wide marble steps. 

"He will be delayed in coming home, Robyn, and has instructed us to depart without him," said Narcissa, catching Puck's question. 

"Oh. Okay. Uh, right, then, let's go," she said trying, and failing, to sound cheerful. 

***** 

Piling out of the fireplace after Ron, the twins began to immediately berate the four with questions. 

"*Why* did you want to talk with Draco Malfoy's sister?" 

"Well, we didn't know she was his sister at the time, George," said Ginny. 

"Anyway, she was really nice, I'm glad she'll be going to Hogwarts this term," added Hermione. "We could learn a lot about American schools and their ways of life and how it's different from ours ..." 

Ron groaned. "Hermione, everything doesn't *have* to be a 'learning experience,' you know." 

"She actually got along with Malfoy," Harry muttered, more to himself than anyone else in the room. 

"I know," said Ginny, "that surprised me too. Even if she is his sister now." 

"Wait a minute, back up," interrupted Fred. "I still don't understand why the Malfoys adopted her in the first place. I mean, you'd think they have their hands full with Draco." Everyone chuckled. 

"It's true, though," said Ron thoughtfully. "They must have had a reason, other than the fact that they wanted a different child. Maybe they thought they could switch ..." 

Harry stared out the window thoughtfully. He had a hunch, but it didn't make sense. What would Voldemort (he shuddered) want with Puck? She was just a normal kid ... 

No one but Ginny noticed the look on Harry's face. She wondered what he was thinking. She'd only seen that look on his face a few times before ... She shivered slightly. In the Chamber of Secrets ... but this doesn't have anything to do with the Dark Lord, does it? she thought. I hope not. I don't think I can face him again. But if Harry goes to fight him, then I go too. He needs someone to protect him, because he can't be lucky every time. 

***** 

"Are we almost done?" Puck yawned. "I didn't think this would take so long." 

"Well, I just want to make sure you know this stuff. It'll be really hard at Hogwarts if you're behind everyone else, and we have the O.W.L.s this year. Besides, I need to do my homework." 

"Well you should have done it before, shouldn't you? I'm going to bed ..." she trailed off in a yawn. 

"NO! Er, wait, I just have a few more questions." Why don't you just tell her? he asked himself. It's better if she doesn't know about father, he replied silently. He's not even home yet, you shouldn't worry ... But if he saw us with Potter ... 

She looked at him suspiciously. "Okay, what is it?" He looked at her innocently. "You're worried about something, aren't you?" 

Draco swallowed nervously. "Look, I can't tell you now, all right? Someone might hear, and then I'd get it ... I'll tell you on the Hogwarts Express, when we leave for school. Not before then." 

Puck sighed. "Okay, but you'd better tell me then! I won't forget." 

"And neither will I," murmured a figure in the shadows outside the door. "Draco Malfoy, you continue do disappoint me. That is *never* a good idea." 

***** 

Who's the "dark figure" who always seems to be standing in the shadows right where we (well, I) don't want him? Why is Draco scared of him? (Although you can probably figure that out.) Find out ... well, as soon as I get the next chapter up. That may be a while, but I'll try to hurry! ^_^ 


	4. Dark Lords and Dreams

Harry Potter and the Face of Destiny 

By Bronze Eagle 

Chapter 4 

Thank you all for reviewing!!! By the way, I didn't put a disclaimer on the previous chapters, but J. K. owns everything that you've heard of. (Except for Puck, that name's from Shakespeare. The character is all mine, though! ^_^) Sorry this took so long to get out! I had to go to school, so I had homework and stuff. I actually have a free afternoon now, so I decided to take you all out of your misery and get this chapter up! 

***** 

*Draco shifted uneasily. There was someone following him. Puck was walking in front of him, laughing and chatting happily with Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger. Harry and Ron were walking beside them, talking in low voices about Quiddich. Suddenly, he felt no resentment toward any of them, it was as though he was ignoring them completely. In fact, he felt no emotion at all, there was just a contented blankness in his mind ... This isn't right! thought a voice desperately in the back of his mind. He paid it no mind. "Potter is right in front of you, do it now ..." whispered a voice. Yes, that seemed like a good idea ... Pulling out his wand, Draco pointed it casually at Harry. "Have some fun first," said the voice. He smiled. Sure, fun, this was going to be better than he thought ... "Crucio!" he hissed. Harry jerked in pain, then fell to the ground, screaming. All the others turned in surprise, then horror dawned on their faces. "What are you doing?!" shrieked Puck. Draco realized that there was a demented gleam in his eyes, which were glowing a bright crimson. "Are you having fun, Potter? The Dark Lord doesn't like it when people get in his way, and you have done that far too many times to live." Harry, curled up in pain, stared at him imploringly. Draco stared down at him, aware of the helpless figures around them, aware of the minutes ticking by. "The great Harry Potter, are you going to beg for mercy now? Or are you too proud ... I told you once that you would die like your parents ... that time has come." He could hear Puck screaming at him. He lifted the curse at last, and Harry lay gasping on the ground. "Aren't you going to stand and fight, Potter?" Draco asked innocently. "Well, you won't get the chance, it's too late even to die an honorable death, like your parents ... You are a shame to their memory, you deserve to die." Harry groaned, and tried to stand. Hermione, Ginny, and Ron were at his side, supporting him. "If you put your trust in that fool, then you deserve to die as well!" he snarled at them. "Avada Kedavra!" Puck screamed again. The four lay dead on the ground. "And now," Draco said, whirling on Puck, "It's your turn!"* 

"NO!" Draco sat up suddenly. His heart was pounding. Only a dream, it was only a dream ... He shivered. He had been walking along a road in Diagon Alley, just like yesterday ... only the streets were deserted, and all the shops were locked. There had been someone following them, and then there was a shadow over his brain ... the Imperius Curse! He was absurdly relieved. He may not have exactly been on Potter's side, but he'd never do one of the Unforgivable Curses ... But you enjoyed it, didn't you? said a nasty voice in the back of his head. Even through the Curse, you enjoyed having Potter roll at your feet ... 

"Draco?" said a concerned voice. 

He looked up, startled, then realized where he was. He forced a laugh. "Sorry, I fell asleep doing my homework, I guess." Puck was looking at him as she stood by the door. 

"I know, you've only been asleep for a little while. I didn't want to wake you up, so I was just going to leave." 

"And let me wake up with ink all over my face?" Draco asked in mock indignation. "I'm a pretty sound sleeper, you know, I would have slept till morning." 

"Why didn't you?" she asked, coming back over. "That must have been a really bad nightmare, to wake you up like that ... you looked terrified." 

"Oh, um, I'm just fine," said Draco quickly, cursing himself. He shouldn't have let her start on what woke him up! 

"Right, yeah, that's why you were all pale and you woke up screaming 'NO!' Sorry, but I can't help thinking that there's something you're not telling me." 

Draco sighed and opened his mouth. 'Tell her, and I'll rip your heart out with my bare hands,' hissed a cruel voice in his head. Years of showing no outward emotion helped him keep his face straight, but it was a close thing. 

"Really, it was nothing important," he said to Puck, thinking furiously, 'Who are you, and why are you in my head?' 

'You really don't want to know,' the voice laughed. A cold chill went down Draco's spine. 

'Wha ... what do you want with me?' 

"Hello, Draco?" Puck was waving her hand in front of his face. "Earth to Draco!" 

"Oh, sorry, I just spaced out for a minute, I'm pretty tired, I think I'll go to bed!" said Draco, and, gathering up his homework hastily, he sped out the door. 

"Well, what was that about?" Puck wondered aloud. "Draco sure was in a hurry to get out of here ... he looked like he just saw a ghost." Laughing to herself, Puck wandered off to find her room. 

***** 

*"Avada Kedavra!"* 

Harry Potter sat up, gasping. Malfoy ... 

"What is it?" asked Ron, from his seat on the couch with Ginny and Hermione. The two girls wore concerned expressions. Harry realized that he had dozed off in the chair he'd been sitting in. 

"Oh, um, nothing, I just, well ..." Ron narrowed his eyes, and Harry sighed. "I had a nightmare, that's all." 

Hermione's eyes widened. "You know Harry, if it was about You-Know-Who, it could be serious, I mean, you don't know, it could be happening right now, and since you're sort of, well, connected to him ..." 

Harry shook his head. "Trust me, it's not happening now," he said firmly, "Voldemort wasn't even in it." I don't *think* he was, anyway ... he thought to himself. 

"What was it about, then?" asked Ginny curiously. 

"Uh, I'd really rather not talk about it," said Harry. "It wasn't important." 

"Well, I think we should get to bed," said Hermione bossily. 

"Just because you've been made a prefect doesn't mean you can boss *us* around," groaned Ron. Hermione had told them all the news earlier that evening. 

Harry grinned. "Look on the bright side, Ron, if Malfoy starts mouthing off, she can take points!" 

Ron, instead of looking happy, frowned. "Yeah, I guess. Although, he was acting, well, less evil than usual at Diagon Alley today." 

Ginny snorted. "He was just making an effort for Puck," she said. "He probably doesn't care what we think, he just doesn't want his new sister to think that he's a big bully." 

"Yeah, that's probably why he wasn't making cracks about us the whole time," added Harry. 

"Well, if he does any of that this year, he's going to pay for it. I'll get him with that slug curse I tried in our second year. I don't have a broken wand anymore ..." 

Harry chuckled. "Yeah, that would be priceless, Malfoy burping slugs all over the school ..." They all looked at each other, and started laughing. 

***** 

Harry woke some hours later in Ron's room. The other boy was sound asleep, judging from the soft snores coming from the top bunk. Harry shifted. He hadn't told the others, but his scar had been bothering him since their trip to Diagon Alley. He didn't know why, but he'd had the feeling that they were being followed. He had thought he was just being paranoid, but maybe not. He frowned. It couldn't have been Voldemort ... someone would have noticed him! The streets were so crowded, and all it would take was one person to notice him. But what if that person didn't know what they were seeing? asked a voice in his head. He shook that thought aside. It had only been fourteen years, surely the entire wizarding community hadn't forgotten what it was like with Voldemort trying to take over? But the nasty little voice told him that was exactly what had happened. 

***** 

Draco couldn't sleep. He felt sick. Where in the name of Heaven had that dream come from? He was almost sure that he had seen the Dark Lord in Diagon Alley; could he have somehow sent it? Lucius was a Death Eater, but what did that have to do with Draco? His father had told him to keep his nose out of the Dark Lord's business enough times over the past summer for Draco to know that You-Know-Who did not want the families of his Death Eaters involved, except for a promise on pain of death to keep their mouths shut. So what did he want with Draco? 

Draco shut his eyes and thought, 'I don't know what you want with me, but giving me dreams about killing people with illegal curses is not a good way to get me around!' He waited, nearly forgetting to breathe, for some sort of response. 

'So, Draco, are we having doubts about being the little villain of Hogwarts?' He nearly jumped out of his skin. There was a voice speaking inside his head! 

'Who are you?' 

'Haven't you guessed, boy? I always knew you weren't top of every class, but I didn't think you were stupid ...' 

Draco swallowed hard. 'Why are you speaking to me, my Lord? I ... I would have thought that my father would be the one you wanted to speak to ...' 

Voldemort laughed harshly. 'Your father is a fool, as are all mortals, but I thought his son might have more intelligence than he ...' the voice trailed off. 'I do not believe that I was wrong in thinking so.' 

'Do ... do you wish me to serve you in some way, my Lord?' 

'No, I will contact you later, but you are not to speak a word of this to ANYONE; is that understood, Draco? Because if you mention this, it could prove awkward, and I might have to ... dispose of someone.' 

Draco's heart was beating so fast it hurt. 'Yes, I understand, my Lord.' 

'Good, that's very good.' The voice seemed to be getting distant. 'Oh, and Draco, I will know if you tell someone, so I wouldn't try anything. Displeasing me can be a very painful experience ...' the voice faded out. Draco lay still as stone, staring at the ceiling. He was really in for it this time. 

***** 

"Harry, are you all right? You look pale," said a concerned Mr. Weasley the next morning. 

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine Mr. Wesley, I just didn't get much sleep last night. We stayed up pretty late." Harry had been staring at his toast, thinking about his dreams after he had finally drifted off last night. They had all contained a pale, silver-haired figure torturing someone that had looked horribly familiar, though he couldn't remember who it was. 

Arthur chuckled. "Yes, I remember when I was going to Hogwarts, we would always do our homework on the last day of the holidays. Do you have it all done yet? You fifth years got a lot, according to Ron." 

Harry made a face. "Yes, I got it done. I think we got so much because of the O.W.L.s that are coming up." 

Mr. Weasley grinned. "Ah, yes, the O.W.L.s. I hope you all do well on them, goodness knows Molly will throw a fit if Ron does poorly. I hope you all will study, for your sake." 

Ron groaned as he walked into the kitchen. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad. I'd almost forgotten about them, *finally*, Hermione's been bugging us all summer-" he stopped abruptly as she walked into the kitchen. 

"What were you saying about me?" she asked suspiciously. Ginny followed her in, yawning. 

"Oh, er, nothing, Herm," he said quickly. 

Harry grinned and turned to his toast as Hermione started berating Ron about keeping secrets. His friends got into fights so often that he was surprised that they ever spoke to each other at all. Despite this, they were very close, though Harry suspected that their feelings for each other went a little beyond 'friends.' 

His thoughts turned to his dreams, and he shivered. Why was he having dreams about Draco all of a sudden? Did it have anything to do with his scar? It *had* started hurting lately, though he didn't mention it to anyone. He didn't want to worry them, and it wasn't that bad. It had gotten worse after they had gone to Diagon Alley, too ... I hope that person I thought I saw following us doesn't have anything to do with this, he thought. I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me ... again. His eyes narrowed. I don't want what happened to Cedric to happen to someone who's just trying to protect me. Too many people have died because of me already, and it's going to stop. 

He didn't notice Ginny looking at him, eyes wide, taking in his determined and angry expression. I hope he's not thinking about doing something stupid, she thought to herself. 

***** 

Harry's grey mood vanished somewhat when Hedwig arrived that afternoon. She was hooting happily to see Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys, though she wasn't impressed with Pig, Ron's tiny owl. She was also holding a letter from Sirius, which was good news for Harry. After debating with himself for a little while, he asked Mrs. Weasley if Fred, George, and Ginny knew that Sirius was innocent. 

"Well, I suspect that Hermione told Ginny, but I don't know about Fred and George. You'll have to make sure they won't tell anyone if you want them to know, though. Dumbledore won't be happy if he hears us spreading rumors and causing the matter to surface again in the Ministry. He's been trying to keep it quiet." 

"Okay, thanks, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry cheerfully. He went to find Fred and George. They deserved to know the truth, and it sometimes got tiring hiding things from them. He'd have to make sure Ginny knew, too. He didn't want the Weasleys to be in the dark about this, and he trusted them not to tell anyone. 

***** 

"What do you mean, innocent?" asked Fred, flabbergasted. 

"Black?! But, but he tried to KILL you, Ron, and Hermione in your third year!" said George, not trying to hide his disbelief. 

"I know it sounds strange," sighed Harry, "but you've got to believe me. Look, I even have a letter from him, asking how I am. It's hard to be a godfather and be on the run from the Ministry at the same time, but he *cares* about me, so he tries to write whenever he has a chance." 

"But if he's innocent, why is he on the run from the Ministry?" asked George suspiciously. 

"Yeah, and why was he put in Azkaban in the first place?" added Fred. 

"I told you that already! Pettigrew was the one who was working for Voldemort" (the twins winced) "and Sirius was wrongly accused and put in jail without a trial! Pettigrew hid out here as Scabbers until two years ago, when he went back to his master. That's how Voldemort managed to come back last year; he had help!" 

"All right, we believe you," said George shakily. 

"But will you stop saying that name?" said Fred. 

"Er, sorry, I know most people don't like it, but Dumbledore thinks that 'fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself,' so he told me to always say his name." said Harry, a bit sheepish. He shouldn't have shouted like that, he'd just gotten a bit worked up ... 

"It's okay, Harry, we understand," said Fred airily, now recovered from the shock of the news Harry had told them. 

"We won't tell anyone, don't worry," assured George. "By the way, guess what we got Ron in Diagon Alley?" he added in a low voice. 

"What?" asked Harry, completely mystified. 

"New dress robes!" said Fred triumphantly. "We're going to give them to him before we leave for school, but we thought you'd want to know." 

"Thanks! I'm glad you two remembered ..." Harry had given his thousand Galleon prize to the twins when he'd won the Triwizard Tournament last year. "Are you going to open that joke shop soon?" 

"Yeah, we've got some plans for it," said Fred mysteriously. "We were thinking about talking to the owners of Zonko's to see if they'd mind us setting up in Hogsmeade. We're not sure if they'd object to competition, though." 

"That's great!" said Harry enthusiastically. 

"Guess what else?" said Fred. 

"What?" 

"Alicia, Katie, Angelina, and Lee have all decided to invest and help us out!" burst out George, unable to contain himself. "We're all going to stay in Hogsmeade next summer to work on it, so it'll be open in the next year or so, if all goes well!" 

Harry frowned slightly. "Does your mum know about this?" 

"Er, well ..." 

"Not yet, but we'll tell her ... eventually." 

"Once we're rich and famous with loads of money and we actually have a shop set up." 

"But what are you going to tell her next summer, then? Won't she be suspicious?" 

"We're telling her that we're going to Lee's, and Lee's parents think he'll be coming here. It's all worked out," George added, seeing Harry's dubious expression. 

"Well, I'm happy for you all the same ... If you set up in Hogsmeade, you would have a ton of Hogwarts students out to see you every time they visit." 

"Yeah, that's why we're not sure if Zonko's would want us there," said Fred gloomily. 

"Why not set up a partnership?" asked Harry. 

"What?" 

"A partnership with Zonko's." 

"You know, that's a pretty good idea," said Fred thoughtfully. 

"Just might work," added George. 

"Thanks! We'll think about it!" they said together. 

"Any time!" said Harry cheerfully. "I'm just glad to know that you'll be able to do what you've always wanted." 

"Mmm. George, can you come upstairs for a minute? I was thinking about owling Zonko's ... The sooner we get started, the better." 

"Yeah, thanks Harry. You know, we should let the others know too ..." 

Harry grinned. He was glad something was going right. 

***** 

Draco Malfoy didn't get much sleep that night. He was thinking about his dream, and what Voldemort had said to him. He was scared, there was no way to get around that. He believed what the Dark Lord had said about knowing if he told, too; he'd heard his father talking about his almost psychic ability to know what others were thinking. He shivered. It looked like Puck wasn't the only one he was after. 

I wonder if Father knows that his master is interested in me, thought Draco. Probably not, or he'd have brought me to the Dark Lord like some sort of gift, telling him he could have me. He sneered. That would be just the sort of thing his father would do; he was desperate to gain power. Probably thought it would make him rise in his master's eyes somehow ... 

'Thinking about me, Draco? How touching. I didn't know you cared.' 

'Get out of my head,' Draco hissed. 

'Now, now, my boy, if I were you, I would watch my tongue. I'm sure you don't want me to punish you ...' 

'What do you want, anyway? Because if you're just going to gloat, I'd rather get some sleep.' 

Draco could almost feel Voldemort's eyes narrow, and his voice lost all traces of humor. 

'Do you really want to be punished, Malfoy? Because I can arrange that ... Go shut your door.' 

To his horror, Draco found himself standing and walking over to the door of his room. He tried to fight it, but it was no use. 

'What are you doing to me?!' 

'You can't break free. Once I'm in your mind, you can't get me out unless I choose to go. I haven't left your mind completely since I first talked to you. I can control you any time I chose.' Voldemort enjoyed the panic he felt racing around Draco's brain. 'Now, I'm going to have you cast a spell. Don't worry, this one won't hurt.' 

Draco felt himself draw out his wand, and watched helplessly as he cast a spell he'd never heard of. Green light spread around the room, covering the walls, floor, and ceiling completely. It shone brightly before sinking into the stone. 

'I suggest you put your wand down. You don't want to snap it accidentally.' Suddenly able to move on his own, Draco stumbled. He set down his wand shakily on the floor, and stood up. 

'Don't even think about it,' said Voldemort lazily as Draco glanced towards the door. 'You won't be able to open it or the windows unless I let you. You're helpless. I suggest you get used to it.' 

Rage and despair suddenly sank down on Draco, and he sank to his knees. What could he possibly do against the greatest sorcerer of all time? No, said a tiny voice, not the greatest, he was scared of Dumbledore even in the height of his power ... 

'I don't think so,' hissed the voice. 'That batty old Muggle-lover has no power against me. Nor does that boy, who I believe you were consorting with yesterday ...' 

'It *was* you that I saw!' thought Draco. 

'Yes. You see, even in Diagon Alley, no one even noticed me. I could be in your house at this very moment, and you would have no idea ...' Draco was chilled at the thought. 'I am getting more powerful by the day, Draco. Soon, I will be able to take over the world, and no one will stop me! You have told Potter that he could have been on the winning side, with you ... do you still believe that?' 

Draco grimaced. 'I had no idea what you were when I said that. I don't belong to you, Voldemort, so get out of my head!" 

'So ... you dare defy me? I'll punish you for that, Malfoy! You should have listened to me ...' 

Draco gasped. 'And how are you planning to punish me? Not even you can do a spell across such a distance ...' 

"Not as much of a distance as you might think," said an ice-cold voice from the doorway. 

Draco froze, and turned slowly, not wanting to see what he knew was there. And sure enough ... 

"Hello, Draco. We meet at last." 

It was Lord Voldemort, standing in front of the closed door, sneering down at him. "You should have realized what you were in for when you said that, Draco. I'm going to have to keep an annoyingly close eye on you now. But you must be waiting for your punishment ..." 

With that, he drew a wand out from his long, black robes. "Crucio." 

Draco fell to the floor, screaming in agony. "No one can hear you, Draco. I made sure of that before I came. We wouldn't want your dear little sister finding out about you before the time was ripe, now, would we?" Voldemort said softly. Draco barely registered his words. It felt like every nerve was on fire, he was jerking around on the floor, he was sure his head would bust open; he hoped it would, maybe then he would die and this awful pain would go away ... 

After a moment more, Voldemort lifted his wand. Draco lay on the floor, gasping. 

"Hm. That was interesting, Draco. You didn't beg for mercy like most do ... Neither did Potter," he said, almost to himself. 

"You still haven't told me what you want me for," said Draco, pulling himself up to a sitting position. 

"And I won't now, either," said Voldemort, his eyes narrowing. "I don't make any attempt to hesitate on punishing those who disappoint me, and you will certainly be punished if you continue to ask about things that do not concern you." 

Draco wanted to say that whatever the Dark Lord wanted to be able to control him for probably did concern him, but thought better of it. 

"As before, Draco, you are not to speak of this to anyone. If you do, you will not like the consequences. As it happens, I have discovered a way to send that particular spell over great distances, so even when you are at Hogwarts, you will not be safe. Nothing can protect you from me." 

***** 

A/N: Ooooh, a cliffhanger! Sorry, I just had to end it there, partly because it's a good ending point, and partly because I couldn't think what to write next. ^_^ I'll try to get the next part up soon! 


	5. At Malfoy Mannor

Harry Potter and the Face of Destiny 

By Bronze Eagle 

Chapter 5 

A/N: Thanks to all reviewers!!! Please don't stop reviewing now, I still enjoy reading them! And ... well, I know I should name the chapters, but ... give me time, I'll get around to it eventually! 

Disclaimer: I own nothing. 

***** 

The week seemed to drag by for Puck. She was firmly convinced, by the third day after the trip to Diagon Alley, that there was absolutely nothing to do at Malfoy Manor. Draco was off by himself most of the time; in fact, she hadn't seen him except at mealtime since the night they'd done their homework together. She was shocked at how pale he'd seemed when she did see him, though. However, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy barely noticed Draco at all. It seemed that they didn't really care that their son looked as though he were being haunted by his own personal army of ghosts. 

Puck sighed and started reading her letter from Hogwarts for about the hundredth time. I hope I make some friends there, she thought miserably. And not like the 'friends' I had at the Academy, either ... she blinked away sudden tears. They'd just stopped talking to her, cutting her off so completely that she felt like she were surrounded by a big glass bubble. She could see out, but no one would look in and see her for what she was; they just saw the bubble that surrounded her. No one will find out at Hogwarts, she thought fiercely. I'll make sure. I'm not going to loose Harry and his friends, too. She couldn't bear to think if Harry Potter knew ... no, that would never happen. She wouldn't let it. 

***** 

Draco was so miserable he felt like throwing up. He thought he could understand why Potter hated Voldemort so much now. The Dark Lord had come up to gloat openly in front of him every night since the first, and it was beginning to wear him down. He was right, Draco thought dully, there's nothing I can do. He's won already. Harry and Dumbledore will never be able to stop him, not if he can control people the way he controls me. Of course, it may be because I'm so weak that he can do this to me in the first place ... He shook that thought off. No, he had to be strong, had to fight Voldemort. He wasn't sure how much longer he could do it, though. He just wanted to lie down and rest; sleeping for a few years sounded really good just then, and when he woke up, it would be all gone; no Voldemort, no Puck ... But did he really want Puck gone? They'd gotten along well enough, but now ... well, frankly, he didn't want her to get hurt. I never thought I'd end up protecting someone from the Dark Lord, he thought wryly. I guess I've spent too much time around Potter. A bit of his goodness has rubbed off on me. I hope he doesn't need it, because I'll need all the help I can get. 

Voldemort laughed in his ears, jerking him almost painfully out of his half doze. 'Worried, Draco? You shouldn't be. I've got everything under control.' 

'That's what I'm afraid of,' he thought back tiredly. 

***** 

Harry was wide awake the last night of the holidays. He couldn't seem to get to sleep, no matter how tired he felt. He'd been having nightmares about Voldemort again, though he could never exactly remember them when he woke up. 

He rubbed his face tiredly. His scar was hurting worse than ever; it was a constant, throbbing ache between his eyes, and it wouldn't go away. He knew that had to be bad, but he didn't know what to do about it. He had finally written Sirius when the pain felt as though it would never go away. He'd been practicing Quiddich when the throbbing in his head had suddenly increased. He nearly fell off his broom, but fortunately, no one noticed. 

"I'm getting hungry, why don't we go in?" he'd called to Ron, Fred, and George. 

"Sure, good idea, I'm hungry too!" said Ron, and they'd all marched into the kitchen, the other three too immersed in their snacks to notice that Harry had slipped off to write his letter. 

He sighed. He knew he would have to sleep sometime, but he wasn't looking forward to another nightmare. Please, he thought, just for once, can I have a nightmare-free sleep? I'm so tired ... 

His head slowly dropped back, and Harry slipped into oblivion ... 

*"Who is your master?" sneered a cold voice. 

"You are," replied a tired one. "Can't I sleep now? I'm so tired ..." 

"Who controls your every move?" continued the first voice, as though it had not heard the second. 

"You do, not that I have much choice in that," said the second voice. "Please ..." 

"Will you destroy Potter?" asked the cold voice. Harry jumped slightly, but didn't open his eyes. 

"I dunno, I guess that's sort of up to you," drawled the second voice. "Considering you can take me over and control whatever I do, I suppose I'll end up with some part in your mad scheme to take over the world." Harry shivered. He'd suddenly realized who these people were ... 

"Are you asking for an early death, boy?" asked Voldemort. "Because I can give you that, if you really wish to be so insolent. You can die from the Cruciatus Curse eventually, though it takes a very long time." 

Draco shuddered convulsively. "Er, if we could avoid that, I'd be obliged." 

Voldemort chuckled darkly. "That's what I thought. It's time for me to go. Such a shame, I always have fun with our little chats ... Remember, if you breathe a word of this to anyone-" 

"Yeah, I know, I'll pay. Really, can't you come up with a more original parting line? That's the sixth time in a row you've used that one, and frankly, I'm getting rather sick of your smell, too ..." 

Voldemort gave a snarl of rage. "NEVER INSULT ME, BOY! YOU WILL WISH YOU HAD NEVER BEEN BORN WHEN I AM FINISHED WITH YOU!" 

"Temper, temper," muttered Draco as Voldemort snatched up his wand. Harry only had time to marvel at Draco's foolhardy courage before the spell hit. Draco screamed, and fell to the floor writhing in pain. Harry watched helplessly as the minutes stretched on, and the boy on the floor continued to jerk weirdly. 

Suddenly, Voldemort's head snapped up, and his wand pointed away from Draco, who was moaning in pain. 

"I know you're watching this, Potter," he said. That got Draco's attention. 

"What do you mean?" he gasped, but Voldemort continued. 

"I'm betting you're dreaming now, aren't you? Enjoying your last day of the holidays? Well, I'm sorry to say that dear little Draco here isn't." Draco's eyes widened suddenly. 

"Harry! If you're here, wake up! I think he can hurt you from far away now, he's gotten much stron-" whatever else Draco was saying was lost in his screams of pain as Voldemort cast the Cruciatus Curse on him again. 

"Watch your back Potter. Expect me to be waiting around every corner, because one day, I'll be there." 

Draco managed to gasp out, "Go!" before Voldemort turned on him with a demonic glint in his eye.* 

Harry felt that he was being pulled back to himself with an effort. 

He slowly sat up. "What was that all about?" he asked the empty room. 

***** 

It hurt to breathe. Draco was lying in his bed, feeling sick. He had to get to Hogwarts today! The train left at eleven. He glanced at his clock. Three hours. Just a few more minutes of sleep ... 

He wasn't exactly sure how long Voldemort had tortured him the night before, but it had been long enough that he had fallen unconscious soon after, barely making it into his bed. 

He wasn't sure why he had said that to Potter. Harry had been there, though; through his connection with the Dark Lord, he had been able to sense that much. He supposed that he had felt that everyone's last hope rested with Potter's survival. It was amazing how much his opinion of the Dark Side had changed in the last week. From becoming a known hater of Harry Potter and all he stood for, Draco had suddenly found himself clinging to the hope that the Light would somehow prevail. He had looked at himself through what he supposed were Potter's eyes, and had been ashamed. He saw a sniveling, spoiled brat who was so self-centered it made your teeth hurt. This boy had no friends, wanted no friends, and yet still looked down on all those he considered "beneath himself." He wasn't someone Draco thought he'd really like to meet. Yet that had been him, just a week ago. Perhaps longer, actually; Puck had brought out some good in him. But still ... his sudden enslavement by Voldemort had forced him to totally reexamine everything he thought he stood for. He'd been startled at what he'd seen. The boy he had been would have found what was happening to him now funny, if it had happened to someone else ... 

"Draco! You're not up yet? It's nearly time to leave! Are you packed?" He started as Puck bounced into the room, fully dressed, with a breakfast tray in her hands. 

"I got something for you in the kitchen, here, you can eat now." 

"Puck, I'm not dressed!" 

She rolled her eyes. "Really? I'd have thought you would be, seeing as you're lying in bed ..." 

Draco managed a weak chuckle. "Thanks for breakfast. I'll be down soon, I'm almost done packing." 

"Okay, I'll make sure my stuff is all in my trunk." Puck skipped out of the room, humming. 

She seems so happy to leave, thought Draco with a strange pang. Of course, I suppose I've been avoiding her, so I guess it's partly my fault. Another thing the old Draco wouldn't have done, he thought wryly as he hunted for some socks; admit a fault in himself. 

***** 

The Weasley home was full to bursting, Harry reflected, yet he felt very alone with his thoughts as he and Ron ran frantically from room to room, making sure they hadn't left anything lying around. He was musing about his dream last night, although dream wasn't really the proper term. He was sure that he had witnessed something as it happened, although he couldn't figure out how Voldemort had know he was there ... He was equally uncertain why Draco had warned him, if he thought he was in some sort of danger. 'I think he can hurt you from far away now,' ... what was that supposed to mean? How could Voldemort possibly do anything to him over such a distance? I'll have to ask Draco on the train, he thought grimly. I don't know if he'll be able to talk about it, though ... 

"Hello, Harry? Are you there? Anyone home?" said Ron, waving his wand, which was setting off gold sparks, in front of Harry's face. 

"What? Oh, sorry ..." he said, pulling himself back to the present with a wrench. 

"Get your trunk down to the lawn, it's time to go," said Ron. "I've got to help Hermione with hers, since Mum and Dad are too busy to just levitate it down ..." he made a face. "Honestly, I don't know what she wants all those books for ..." he trailed off muttering, leaving Harry to go get his own trunk down the five or so flights of stairs between him and the ground. He sighed. He'd have to find someone to help him, he wouldn't be able to get it himself ... 

Occupied with these thoughts, Harry wasn't watching where he was going, and nearly fell backwards down the stairs when he crashed into someone going the opposite direction. 

"Ouch!" 

"Oh, sorry Ginny, I wasn't watching where I was going ... Want some help with your trunk?" Ginny's trunk, although not as heavy as Hermione's, still looked like quite a load. 

"Oh, that would be great, thanks Harry; everyone's trying to get Hermione's trunk down, and nobody would help me with mine." 

"Yeah, I'd be glad to help, but then I'll need help with mine, it's all the way up on the fifth floor," he said. 

"Sure, I don't think Ron will want any help with Hermione's trunk anyway, he seems determined to show her how strong he is ..." she trailed off chuckling, and Harry joined her. It seemed Ron was attempting to show off to Hermione again, still determined to show her that he was better than Viktor Krum any day. He didn't seem to realize that she thought this anyway, since she and Krum had decided to just be friends at the end of last term. 

After going down three flights of stairs with Ginny's trunk, the two then had to go back up to the fifth floor to get Harry's trunk. They were chatting amiably while they got the trunk from the room and started down the stairs once more, but in front of the room Ginny and Hermione had been sharing, they ran into difficulties. 

"I've got it Fred, really!" gasped a voice from the landing below them. Sharing an amused glance, Harry and Ginny went down to see what the problem was, still carrying the trunk. 

They nearly burst out laughing when they got to the third floor landing. Ron was attempting to drag the trunk out the door of Hermione and Ginny's room, not budging an inch, but still refusing help from the twins and Hermione, who were starting to get annoyed. 

"Now really, Ron!" she said as he strained yet again to move the trunk. "If you won't let them help you, I'm just going to have to do it!" 

"No!" he said quickly. "I guess if you want to be like that ... Hey, what are you two looking at?" He had just noticed Harry and Ginny standing on the stairs, wearing identical amused grins. 

"Not much," said Ginny, causing the twins and Harry to howl with laughter. 

"Seriously, though, Ron," said Fred, wiping his eyes. 

"We might as well work together to get this trunk down, if it's going to get down there at all," said George, still snorting whenever he looked at Ron, who was doing a very good impression of Percy when the twins had taken his Head Boy badge and enchanted it to read "Bighead Boy." 

"I don't need help," Ron would mutter now and then, looking at the twins murderously. Harry and Ginny had a very hard time not bursting into hysterical laughter, and ended up having to avoid each other's eyes for fear of breaking out again. 

***** 

Puck was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet impatiently. She could at least try not to look so excited to leave, though Narcissa with a sneer. She wasn't sure what the Dark Lord wanted the girl for, but he was certainly taking his time about letting them know. Especially since he was (for now) hiding in their secret chambers below the drawing room ... 

Just then Draco walked into the room. He looked terrible. His normally sleek hair was as messy as Harry Potter's, and he looked as though for once, he didn't put much time into dressing, since he was already wearing his Hogwarts robes. 

"Draco, you should change into more suitable clothing. The chauffeur is taking both of you to platform 9 3/4, so you need to wear Muggle things." 

Draco blinked. "Oh, right, sorry, I'd forgotten. I'll go change, then, shall I?"And ignoring the strange looks Puck and his mother gave him, he went out the door and back upstairs. 

What's gotten into him? wondered Puck. 

"Um, Narcissa?" 

"Yes, Robyn?" 

"Should I go get my trunk? Or will someone else get it?" 

"The servants will bring it down. You do not need to worry yourself about such menial tasks." 

"Oh, okay." Servants? What servants? She hadn't seen so much as a dusting pan lying around in the week she'd been here. 

But sure enough, a group of people came in silently, not complaining about the weight of the two enormous trunks they were carrying. They set them down and left the room, not speaking a word. 

Ten minutes later, Draco came into the room again, this time wearing black jeans and a black sweater. 

"Is this better, Mother?" 

"Yes Draco, although I wish you would do something about your hair ..." 

"Can I do that on the train? We really should get going, we've only got about two hours." 

"Yes, I suppose you're right. Have a good term, Draco." She turned to Puck. "I hope you enjoy yourself at Hogwarts, Robyn, and please owl us when you find out what house you're in. You can use Draco's owl." 

"Okay. Uh, thanks for everything." 

"Of course." She had an oddly twisted smile on her face. "You're part of our family, now." 

Puck swallowed hard. She wasn't so sure she wanted to be part of a family anymore. 

"Well," said Draco loudly, breaking the rather nasty silence, "we'd better get going, then. See you next summer, I'm not sure if I'm going to come home for the Christmas vacation." 

"That's fine, Draco. Robyn, you are welcome to come home for the break as well, although you may stay at Hogwarts if you wish." 

"Thanks." 

"Now I believe you should go, you don't want to miss the train." 

The servants reappeared at her words and silently brought their trunks out to a large, expensive-looking car. Draco and Puck followed them, Puck looking rather nervous, Draco looking relieved to be out of the house. 

At first, the car looked perfectly normal, but Puck soon realized that it was quite different from any Muggle car she had ever been in. For one thing, everything was controlled by magic; so the chauffeur had almost no work other than steering. For another, they were moving suspiciously fast, and Puck was certain that they were making much better time than any normal car was capable of. She settled back in her seat with a sigh. Off to Hogwarts at last ... 

***** 

Harry was dozing off next to Ron and Ginny in the back seat of the Ministry car Mr. Weasley had gotten when he received a rather nasty shock. 

'Hello, Potter, can you hear me?' 

His eyes jerked open and he looked around for the person who had spoken. 

'I'm in your head.' 

Harry closed his eyes firmly. A dream, this was just a dream ... 

'No, I'm afraid it's not. Just listen to me for a minute, will you? I need someone to talk to, and if you remember your dream last night, then you're the only one I can talk to. Do you remember it? Just think your answer in your head.' 

'You mean the dream with Voldemort in it?' thought Harry uncertainly. 

'Yes!' 

'Who are you, anyway?' 

'Oh, sorry ... this is Draco Malfoy.' 

'Why are you talking to me in my head, and how did you know about that dream?' 

'Voldemort's been doing this to me for the past week, I figured out how, and that wasn't really a dream. It was more of a vision.' 

'You mean it actually happened?' Harry felt a bit queasy. 

'Yeah.' 

'What was Voldemort doing in your house?' 

'Do you really need to ask? My father is a Death Eater, you know.' 

'Does Puck know that he was there?' 

'She doesn't even believe me that he's back.' 

'You told her? I thought he said he'd kill you if you told anyone ...' 

'No, I was, well ... I mentioned it when we went to meet her at the orphanage, before she moved here. That was about three weeks ago. I think Fudge has kept it pretty quiet, because she said that nothing had been in the papers. She actually sort of exploded on me when she thought I was joking about it ...' Harry chuckled to himself. 'Anyway, you remember the dream?' 

'Yeah.' 

'Don't tell anyone, please. What he said was true. He won't hesitate to hurt anyone he can get his hands on if he thinks it will help him get to you. I passed out last night when he was done with me.' Draco hesitated. 'It's becoming almost an obsession with him, killing you ... I'm not sure how safe you are, even at Hogwarts, so what I really wanted to say was ... truce?' 

Harry was stunned. 'I thought you hated me! You said we'd all get what was coming to us -' 

'I had no idea what the Dark Side really was when I said those things.' Draco sounded contemptuous of himself. 'I regret that now. You know, I was looking at myself through other people's eyes, or I was trying. I was really an idiot, wasn't I?' 

Harry nearly burst out laughing. 'Yeah, you were.' 

'Oh, thanks Potter ... Anyway, I'd rather be on the good side, against people who think it's okay to take others over at their whim. Don't worry,' he added, 'I can't take you over. One, I'm not powerful enough, and two, I don't know how anyway.' 

'That's good to know.' Harry hesitated. 'Can he really send curses over long distances?' 

Draco sighed. 'I think so. He was certainly threatening me with the Cruciatus Curse if I even thought about telling Dumbledore at Hogwarts. You know about it from that dream, that's the only reason he's letting me talk to you.' 

'Can he get into my head through you?' asked Harry, suddenly alarmed. 

'No, I don't think so. But Harry, I also wanted to say, he can take me over whenever he feels like it, so don't let Weasley punch me too hard if I insult his family. It'll probably be Voldemort trying to start trouble or something.' 

'Okay, I'll try to keep Ron off you.' 

Suddenly Draco's thoughts became worried. 'He's in my head again, I'd better go ...' 

'Good luck, Malfoy,' thought Harry as Draco's presence in his mind began to recede. 

'Thanks, Potter, I'll need it.' 

***** 

Draco's mind was in a whirl. He barely listened as Voldemort ranted on about what he would do to when he took over the world. He had someone to talk to! He could talk to Potter, and as long as neither of them told, Draco was relatively safe. 

His thoughts were rudely interrupted by Voldemort, who seemed to have finally figured out that Draco wasn't interested in what he had to say. 

'Why are you happy, boy?' 

Draco immediately focused his thoughts on Hogwarts and thought, 'Oh, just glad to go back to school.' 

'Really? I would have thought figuring out how to talk to Potter would have made more of a positive impression ...' Draco's heart plummet. 'You didn't think I wouldn't be able to figure it out?' He laughed unpleasantly. 'Draco, you can hide nothing from me. However, I will continue to allow you to speak to him. Perhaps I will do so myself someday ...' 

'If you hurt him, you'll regret it,' Draco found himself thinking. Oh, God, what have I just said ... 

'Are you thinking that you will stop me? Forgive me for saying so, but I could stop you with a thought. Indeed, I could have you kill him yourself ... Not that I would, for that honor belongs to me alone.' He paused. 'I can find you a nice, quiet classroom at Hogwarts and practice my skills at casting spells over long distances. If I were you, Malfoy, I would make sure you keep yourself - and Potter - in line.' 

***** 

The Ministry car got Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys to King's Cross Station with half an hour to spare. They were just wheeling their trolleys through the door when a voice called out. 

"Harry! Ginny! Ron! Hermione!" 

The four turned, and found themself face-to-face with Puck and Draco. Puck looked positively ecstatic, and even Draco looked happy. 

"Are you also taking the Hogwarts Expr-" 

"Shhhhh!" Draco hissed. "You don't want the Muggles to hear you!" 

Puck grinned embarrassedly. "Oh, yeah, sorry." She lowered her voice. "Do all of the students take the train to school? It seems like there's an awful lot of people here ..." 

"Yeah, but they all fit. There are a ton of cars," explained Harry. "It's a job getting them all onto the platform, though." 

"How do we get onto the platform, anyway?" 

"Follow us, it's not that hard. Just don't think about crashing, and you'll be fine." This didn't exactly reassure Puck, but she wasn't about to start complaining. She didn't want them all thinking that she was afraid, after all. 

They made their way slowly across the crowded station, finally reaching the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. 

"Right, Ron, you'd better go first with Hermione; Pig and Crookshanks are drawing an awful lot of attention," said Harry. "Then me and Draco, we've both got owls too. Ginny, can you get Puck through?" 

"Sure. All you have to do is walk right through the barrier, you can even close your eyes ..." she began explaining to Puck. 

As Ron and Hermione slipped through, Harry thought to Draco, 'Can you hear me?' 

'Yeah.' 

'Are you all right? You sounded a little panicked when Voldemort came into your head.' 

'Well ... he found out.' 

'You mean he knows you can talk to me?' 

"It's not like we're complaining or anything," Puck said loudly, "but I'd appreciate it if you two would hurry up!" 

"Sorry," said Draco hastily as he and Harry pushed their trolleys towards the invisible gate. 

'Yeah, he knows. I don't think he minds if I tell you, just as long as you don't say anything. I don't think he was joking when he was talking about finding an empty classroom to practice his long distance spell casting, though.' Draco hesitated. 'He might try figure out how to talk to you by watching me, so be careful.' 

'Think he could do that?' 

'I dunno ...' 

Further conversation was made impossible by Ron and Hermione calling loudly to them, Ginny, and Puck, who had just come bursting out behind them. Puck was wearing an awed look on her face. 

"This place is huge!" 

And it was. Platform 9 3/4 was built to hold all of the students of Hogwarts as they waited to board the train, so it had to have certain magical traits. Harry supposed that it was made like wizard tents; much larger on the inside than the outside. He somehow didn't think that the Muggles would fail to notice an unplanned platform containing nearly a thousand students. 

"Hello, Neville! Hi Seamus!" Ron was waving energetically at two of the boys from their dorm, beaming. 

"Hey Ron, Harry ... Who's that?" They had just noticed Puck and Draco. 

"This is, uh, Robyn Goodfellow, better known as Puck ... and you know Draco Malfoy." 

There was a rather nasty silence. Then Dean Thomas came over and said, "Hi everybo ..." he trailed off. "Why is he here?" 

'I'll leave now, they don't want me here,' thought Draco dully. 

'No! I won't let them drive you away. The only way they'll accept you is if you show them you've changed,' Harry thought back furiously. 

'Yeah, fat chance I have of that when Voldemort can make me say whatever he wants,' replied Draco. And, as if to prove his word, he found himself saying, "Well, I guess I'll just leave then. It seems I'm not wanted. Have a nice trip, Puck." 

She looked at him, confused. "But, Draco, aren't you going to stay? You and Harry didn't kill each other at Diagon Alley, I thought you might learn to get along ..." She trailed off at the look on his face. 

"Sorry. I'm not really in the mood to fawn over Scarface right now, I'll leave that to all of you." With that, Draco turned on his heal and stalked off, having conjured up Crabbe and Goyle, his two troll-like friends (if you could call them that) to push his trolley. 

Puck stood staring after him, eyes suspiciously bright. "What ... but ... Draco ..." 

Harry put a hand on her arm. "Just wait a while, Puck, I'll talk to him for you." 

She looked at him. "Don't try to hurt him unless he pulls his wand first, all right?" 

"Sure." 

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Dean, and Seamus all turned on him. "Harry, really ..." 

"He'll probably curse you really bad if you don't have your wand out to block it ..." 

"Be careful ..." 

"You actually want to talk to him?!" 

"That's almost nice for him, Puck, honestly ..." 

"We'll all go find them and get the whole stinking trio together ..." 

"Really, it's fine," Harry said loudly, "I can talk to him, it's not that big a deal. It's not like he's going to kill me or anything." From the looks the others were giving each other, they certainly thought so. 

"You'd better find him on the train, Harry; we've got to get our things on, or it'll leave without us." 

He sighed. "Yeah, I guess so ..." 

The seven of them dragged their trunks onto the train and found an empty compartment. They stowed their luggage, then, as they hung out the window, waving to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the train pulled out, gathering momentum as it sped towards Hogwarts. 

***** 

A/N: Will Harry be able to help Draco? Your guess is as good as mine ... Please review!! 


	6. Arrival

Harry Potter and the Face of Destiny 

By Bronze Eagle 

Chapter 6 

A/N: I'm soooo sorry! This took much longer than I expected, and I appreciate you patience. (I had a small case of writer's block ...) Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it. 

Disclaimer: Sadly, I am not that great and wonderful person named Joanne Rowling, so, no, I don't own any of these character. (Except for the ones that I made up, and you can sort of tell which ones those are. ^_^) 

***** 

'What did you do that for?!' Draco fumed as Voldemort steered him towards an empty compartment. 

'Draco, surely you know that I can't allow you to get too close to those insignificant beings. If they find out your little ... secret, I would have to dispose of them, and I'm sure you don't want that to happen,' he replied calmly. 

'You haven't disposed of Harry.' 

'Yes, that's true. Unfortunately, he is better protected than the rest of them. But now that I have you, why, I could take him any time I choose.' 

'I'll never help you defeat him!' 

'Oh, I think you will, Draco.' 

'You -' 

'Draco! Are you okay?' 

'Harry?' 

'Yeah, I thought I should come check on you ...' 

'Don't come in,' Draco thought immediately. 'Crabbe and Goyle will probably punch you or something, and I don't want to end up cursing you.' 

'So he really took you over, huh?' 

'Yes, Potter, I did.' 

Harry jumped. He had been standing just outside the door to Draco's compartment, not wanting to enter, so he quickly moved back, not wanting to attract Crabbe and Goyle's attention. 

'You,' he thought furiously. 

'Yes,' replied the cold voice. 'I was hoping to be able to speak to you.' 

"Harry," gasped Draco from inside the door. 

"What?" 

But Draco's face had just appeared in the doorway. "You two stay there," he said to Crabbe and Goyle, who were blinking stupidly. 

Harry examined the boy closely. His eyes no longer had a red glint to them, but, just to be safe, he asked, 'Is that you?' 

'Yes. Can you take me to your compartment? Or at least help me walk?' 

'What happened to you?' asked Harry, leading him away. 

Draco managed a shaky laugh. 'It was getting to be a bit much with three people inside my head. I'd really rather if we could talk out loud; I'm getting a headache.' 

"Yeah, okay," said Harry. "Uh, why did he leave? I would have thought ..." he broke off as a group of girls hurried past them, giggling and chatting. 

"I'm not sure," said Draco slowly. "I don't think he's perfected his little 'casting spells over distances' thing, and I was pretty far away. Maybe ..." 

"What?" 

"Maybe ... maybe you pushed him out of my head, sort of." 

"D'you think so?" 

"I'm not sure. I just don't know, we need more evidence before we can be sure ..." he stopped as Harry poked him. 

"They're in here, you should try to stay on your own feet now." 

"Right." 

Harry slid open the door. Inside, Puck, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione sat, playing a game of Exploding Snap. They looked up as the two stood in the doorway, and their faces froze. 

"What did you bring him in for?" snarled Ron. 

"He's here on my invitation," replied Harry calmly. "He's, um, over his, er, little outburst." 

"Little outburst?!" exploded Puck. "How was that a 'little outburst'? He just walked away, after insulting us all, I might add, and you're inviting him back?" 

"Listen, Puck, he wasn't, er, I mean, he was just a little confused, that's all." This is going really well, Harry thought. 

"Confused. He was CONFUSED?!?! I'll give you confused! I'm confused about how two people who are supposedly sworn enemies are getting along like best friends. I'm confused about his (she pointed at Draco) double personality thing, 'cause one second he's someone you could actually stand to be around, and the next he's insulting everyone in sight. I'm confused about -" 

"Listen, I'm sorry, okay? I ... I didn't mean those things I said." Everyone turned to Draco, scepticism written all over their faces. He took a deep breath and plunged on. "Granger and, er, Hermione and Ron, I'm sorry about all the times I've insulted you. I know this doesn't really help, because you probably don't trust me, but, well ... I'm sorry." 

They were now looking at Draco in mild alarm, as though he had just said that Professor Snape would be letting them off on their homework for the year. Ron looked at Harry uncertainly. "Harry, what did you do to him? I thought this was Malfoy, but maybe not ..." 

Draco looked as though he were about to protest this, but he suddenly stiffened slightly, and Harry saw a red gleam come into his eyes. 

"I'm going to get him something to drink, he hasn't been feeling well," he said hastily, dragging Draco out the door. 

Once they got outside and Harry had let go of him, Draco spun around and glared. "Don't try to cover up like that again, Potter. There's nothing you can do to help him." 

Harry narrowed his eyes. 'Get out of his head.' 

Draco's reddened eyes widened, and Harry thought he saw him tremble slightly. Grabbing Harry by the arm, he pulled him into an empty compartment nearby. Pulling the door shut, he muttered a spell, causing green light to spread around the compartment, and rounded on Harry, who stared at him, eyes wide. 

"I said not to meddle, Potter," he said in a deadly soft voice. "No one can hear us now. You can't call for help. You're in this just as deeply as Malfoy, here. I will know if either of you tells anyone. That includes telling your 'friends' over there; and Dumbledore, too." He laughed softly. "That old fool can do nothing against me. He had his chance. You realize that, don't you, Potter? He can do nothing." 

Dazedly, Harry noticed that his scar wasn't hurting him. That was something, at least. He suddenly looked up at Draco. "He's not a fool." 

"What?" 

"Dumbledore. He's not a fool. You're still scared of him, even now that you have your powers back. You wouldn't dare to do anything on this train, even -" Draco cut him off. 

"Do nothing? Why, Harry, I thought you had some semblance of intelligence ... What do you think I'm doing right now? Or do you consider cornering you, of all people, in an empty train compartment 'doing nothing'?" 

Harry glanced around. He was quite right, there was no one at all in here except for them. He frowned slightly and turned back to Draco. 'Why don't you kill me now, then?' 

This time, Harry was sure that Draco's body shook, and he leaned over a little, as if out of breath. When he straightened, Harry involuntarily stepped back. His eyes were glowing bright red, leaving hardly any white. The pupils were narrowed down to slits, and Harry privately wondered how Voldemort expected to keep himself a secret, when, by possessing them, he could turn someone's eyes bright crimson. Red eyes weren't exactly common ... Then he felt his scar sear with pain, and it was all he could do to keep from crying out. 

"You can't stop me, Potter," Draco hissed. "This boy was faithful to me for too long to just give it up now. It's too late for him. He can't change. I would suggest you keep yourself out of this if you want to survive the year." With that, the redness left his eyes, and he collapsed to the floor. 

Harry's scar stopped hurting abruptly. Still massaging his forehead, he lifted Draco up onto a seat. Satisfied that he wouldn't roll off, Harry ran back to his compartment. 

***** 

Ron, Puck, and Ginny looked up as Harry skidded to a halt and pulled the door open. Upon entering, he looked around and then asked, "Where'd Hermione go?" 

"She went to tell the prefects that she'd be back here with us, I think," replied Ron offhandedly. 

Harry groaned. "Great. Okay, then ..." and to the bewilderment of his friends, he charged out once again. 

Ron glanced at Puck and Ginny. "Do you get the feeling that there's something he's not telling us?" he asked. 

***** 

Harry held up his wand and looked down at the boy out cold on the seat in front of him. He'd seen this spell used before, but had never actually performed it himself. He thought that perhaps Hermione could have done it, but then he'd have had to explain why Draco was unconscious in the first place, and he had a feeling that Hermione wouldn't believe him if he said that the other boy had hit his head on the doorframe hard enough to knock himself out. 

Harry took a deep breath. Here goes nothing, he thought. 

"Enervate!" 

Draco groaned softly. "What happened?" he asked groggily. 

"Uh, actually, I'm not sure," replied Harry. "Voldemort got pretty mad at me, though. I think he was mad at you, too." For some strange reason, this didn't seem to make Draco feel any better. 

"It's getting worse," he said softly. 

"What?" Harry looked at him, alarmed. "What's getting worse?" 

Draco sighed. "His control over me. I can remember what's happening, but it's like I don't care what he does." He looked up with a worried expression on his face. "He's getting stronger." 

"Great," Harry groaned. "Exactly what we need. Well, you'd better come to our compartment." 

"What? Shouldn't I be staying away from you, if Voldemort can take over me like that?" 

"No. I want you nearby, in case he comes back." 

"Uh, right, that's why I *shouldn't* come with you ..." 

"No, see, then I'll be able to drive him out of your head. We should practice that." 

"Yeah," said Draco faintly, "I'd just love to collapse again ..." 

"I'd rather learn how to get him out of your head now, rather than later. Eventually he might be able to take over you all the time, and if it's all the same to you, I'd prefer not to have Voldemort at school with me." 

"Oh, okay," sighed Draco. "But I'm holding you responsible if they find out because of this." 

Harry's face hardened. "I won't let them find out. They're my friends, you know. Anyway, we'll all be safe once we get to Hogwarts ... and Dumbledore." 

But they both were privately remembering Voldemort's words ... "That old fool can do nothing against me. He had his chance. You realize that, don't you, Potter? He can do NOTHING." 

***** 

Draco spent the rest of the train ride in the corner of Harry's compartment. When Hermione came back and saw him sitting there, immersed in reading The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, she pursed her lips, but said nothing. Ron, Ginny, and Puck had apparently decided to ignore Draco altogether. 

The only time Draco moved was when the witch with the food cart came by. He got up silently, bought a large amount of candy and sweets, and dropped most of it in Puck's lap. She looked up at him, startled, but he was already curled up on the seat, flipping through his textbook. 

***** 

It was nearly pitch black out when they reached Hogwarts, and Puck's stomach was twisting itself into knots. Some of her anxiety must have shown on her face, because Ginny murmured quietly to her, "Don't worry. I know what it's like, being worried about your House, but the Sorting Hat's never been wrong. And even if you're not in Gryffindor, we'll still be your friends." She felt slightly reassured, but still wasn't sure if she trusted a hat to tell her what House she should be in. Even if it was a "thinking cap," as Ron had assured her, grinning. 

"Really Puck, I mean, you're probably going to be in Gryffindor, what is there to worry about?" 

At this, Draco shot Ron a dark scowl. "Puck will be in whichever House suits her best," he said quietly. "Who knows? It's up to the Hat ... and her." He turned to Puck. "You can talk to it, and try to help it make its decision. If you don't think you belong in the House it's thinking of, say so. You don't want to be stuck in the wrong House." Then he seemed to remember that they weren't talking to him, and he turned back to his book. 

As they trooped off the train, however, Puck couldn't help but feel excited. A new school, new teachers, new students ... Maybe this was a change for the better. No offence to Draco, was all she could think, but I don't think I'd like to be in Slytherin. But if he's right, then maybe I can convince it not to put me in that House. I don't know what dad would think if he knew. She patted the letter from her parents in her pocket for good luck. 

Just then she was distracted by Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny waving frantically beside her at what had to be the largest man she'd ever seen. 

"Hi, Hagrid!" they yelled. Puck gaped. 

Draco leaned towards her. "That's the gamekeeper, Hagrid," he said in an undertone. "He takes all the first years across the lake on the "traditional" boat ride to Hogwarts. You can come with us, though; you're not a first year." 

"Er, okay," she said, not quite sure why her adoptive brother was talking to her all of a sudden. "What do we ... never mind." She'd been about to ask how they were getting to the school, but she'd suddenly spotted the horseless carriages waiting for them. "Well," she muttered, "this is what I call riding in style." Draco chuckled as the got into a carriage with two boys she didn't know. "Uh, where'd Harry and the others go?" 

One of the boys said, with a thick Irish accent, "You know Harry? Who are you, anyway? And why are you with him?" She seemed to get that a lot when she was with Draco. 

"I'm, um, Robyn Goodfellow, but you can call me Puck," she said nervously. "I'm Draco's adoptive sister." 

The two stared at her. "Adoptive sister?!" the other boy said. 

Draco glared at them. "Yes, she is, Thomas. I'd appreciate it if you kept you nose out of her business, too." 

Puck looked at him. "Draco, you could really use some manner lessons." Turning to the two boys, she said, "So, what're your names? And what House are you in?" 

They looked at each other. "I'm Seamus Finnigan, and this is Dean Thomas. We're both in Gryffindor," said the first boy. 

More Gryffindors, thought Puck. "I'm going to be sorted soon, since I'm just starting this year," she said nervously. "What're the four Houses like?" 

"Well," said Dean, "Gryffindor is the one that's supposed to be for 'the brave at heart;' Hufflepuff is for the 'just and loyal,' but they're all sort of slow, if you ask me; Ravenclaw is for brainy people, although Gryffindor gets a lot of the smart ones too, just look at Hermione; and Slytherin ... well, you can just ask Malfoy there." He looked much less enthusiastic about Slytherin than any of the other Houses. 

She looked at Draco, who sighed. "Slytherin is for the 'shrewd and cunning,' or something like that." He hesitated. "It's also the one that all Dark witches and wizards were in, including You-Know-Who." Puck swallowed. "We're not very popular with the other Houses, since we tend to have nasty tempers and mean dispositions." Dean and Seamus were looking at Draco as though he had suddenly sprouted another head. 

"Er," Seamus looked at Dean. 

"Did you just ... insult yourself?" asked Dean incredulously. 

Draco looked mildly surprised. "Yeah, I think I did," he said. Puck burst out laughing, and eventually Dean, Seamus, and even Draco joined in. 

***** 

Soon, however, they reached the castle. Puck's jaw dropped in awe as she looked up at the huge structure. It was far larger than the Academy; in fact, it even rivaled some of the skyscrapers in the Muggle section of New York in sheer size and immensity. The buildings of New York, however, did not have the same sense of ancient majesty and magic as this thousand-year-old castle, and she was completely bowled over. Dean, Seamus, and Draco all chuckled at her stupefied expression. 

Suddenly, Dean said, "Look! Isn't that ... no, it couldn't be! But ... doesn't that look like Professor Lupin?" 

"No way!" said Seamus as they all piled out of the carriage. "I thought he resigned in our third year!" 

But over the heads of the people surging up the stairs in front of them, the four saw a man with prematurely gray hair, who was looking around at the students. He suddenly hailed someone off to their left. 

"Harry! How are you?" They saw Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny making their way over to him. 

"It is him!" Draco muttered to himself. He turned to Puck. "Do you want to come meet Professor Lupin? We had him in our third year, but he resigned because everyone found out that he was a werewolf." 

"A werewolf?" asked Puck, impressed. "Let's go!" 

Grinning, Draco led her over to where Harry and his friends were chatting with their teacher. 

"You're back? That's wonderful! I hope you can stay for more than a year this time, though ..." 

"I thought you said that you didn't want to be teaching here if you thought you might hurt someone ..." 

"Did Dumbledore ask you to come back?" 

"Hi Puck, Draco," said Harry as the two made their way through the crowd toward the small, unmoving group. Lupin looked over in their direction when he heard Harry. 

"There you are! Robyn, I was sent out here to bring you in to wait with the first years." He gave a small start of surprise when he saw Draco coming over and looking perfectly friendly, but recovered quickly. "You'll be sorted with them, and since you don't have a house yet, you can't wait in the hall with the rest of the older students." He turned back to the others standing by him. "Don't worry. She'll be back soon enough." And with that, he led her through the doorway, and off to a small chamber on the right of the entrance to the Great Hall. She tried to wave to her friends, but couldn't spot them through the multitude of students going past her. She sighed, and followed Lupin off to wait for the Sorting. 

***** 

Harry swallowed as he looked around the school. Memories - ones that he'd been trying to keep at bay the entire summer - began flooding back to him. Cedric, picking up his books as Harry warned him about the dragons. Cedric, coming up to him in the mermaid's village deep under the lake, taking Cho, and kicking up towards the surface. Cedric, walking with him into the maze, both of them going silently on their ways when the path forked. Cedric, taking the cup with him, just before ... Harry pushed that last thought away. He hadn't seen Cho since the end of last term, and he wasn't sure how he'd feel when he did see her. He sighed. Why do I have to remember all this now? he thought. It's not my fault that Wormtail killed him. Yeah, just like it's not my fault that he took the cup with me in the first place, said a tiny voice in the back of his mind. I didn't know it would be a portkey! he though back furiously. It's not my fault. But somehow, he wasn't so sure anymore. 

Draco interrupted his thoughts. 'So, we're back. Are you happy to be here?' 

Harry sighed. 'My last week or so here wasn't exactly happy.' 

Draco paused. 'Right. I'd almost forgotten.' And then, to Harry's surprise, he added, 'It's too bad about Diggory. He was . . . nice, in a slow, Hufflepuff sort of way.' 

Harry looked at him, startled, across the hall as they went to their separate tables. It seemed like every time he had him figured out, Draco surprised him again. 

He settled down in between Ron and Hermione to wait for the Sorting. 

***** 

Puck tapped her foot nervously as she and the first years waited for the tall, thin professor to lead them into the Great Hall. Lupin had left to sit at the staff table, and she felt very alone as the first years stood in rather close groups and stole sidelong glances at her, wondering what a girl who was plainly not in her first year was doing standing with them. 

Puck sighed. I wish Draco was here, she thought miserably. I could use some bad jokes to cheer me up. This thought brought a weak smile to her lips. I hope I get to see him at least a little if I'm not in his House, she reflected. If I'm not in his House ... she repeated to herself, her smile turning bittersweet. What's the likelihood of that? 

***** 

A/N: Oh, that was a nasty little place to leave you off, wasn't it? I hope to have the next chapter up before I go on a three week vacation starting July 1, but if I don't, you won't see the next part until ... well, more than a month from now! (Gads, that's a long time! I'm getting back the 24th, and I won't have access to a computer for the whole time ... ::shudders::) I know this is a little shorter than the last chapters, but I figured if I kept going, then I'd have to have the whole Sorting in here, and that would just be too much. Until next time, (whenever that may be,) ~Bronze Eagle 


	7. The Sorting

Harry Potter and the Face of Destiny 

By Bronze Eagle 

Chapter 7 

A/N: Yes! Chapter titles! I finally took the time to think up names for those stupid things. Thanks to all reviewers!! 

Disclaimer: Yadda yadda yadda. J. K. R. owns it all, I own nothing. (That gets sorta depressing to say after a while ...) The words to the school song were taken from the first book. I made up the bits of Sorting Hat song myself, though. ::sneers at pathetic rhyming skill:: I own that, I suppose, but no one else would want it anyway. 

***** 

Draco looked around as the doors to the Great Hall opened once again and the first years filed in. They all looked petrified, but none nearly as much as Puck. She looked around the Hall as if there were ghosts that were going to jump out at her from every shadowy corner ... Which there might be, he admitted, looking around to make sure that Peeves was nowhere in sight. I wonder why she looks so scared? he thought. She doesn't have a history of Slytherin-loving Malfoys behind her ... Where did that come from? And anyway, she doesn't know her real family, so for all I know, she could be from a family of Dark Wizards ... Draco sighed. She's not going to be in Slytherin, he told himself firmly. She'll be in Gryffindor with all her other friends, and I'm sure she'll be very happy ... And I will be happy for her ... I have to be. So why do I feel like punching something? 

***** 

Puck could barely keep from screaming of sheer nerves as the thin professor (Professor McGonagall, she reminded herself,) brought out a rickety old stool and an even older-looking hat. She, along with the rest of the hall, watched the hat as it sang a song in a rather out of tune voice. She only caught snatches of it, but the song seemed to be describing the different Houses.  


"For Gryffindor, the brave and bold 

were the ones he'd most likely teach ...."  


"Slytherin, the snake, taught only 

those that after his sly heart did take ...."  


Great, she thought dully, Slytherin sounds like a great guy. I don't want to be in his House, but ... I have a very nasty feeling about this whole thing. 

She watched without seeing as one by one the first years were sorted. She wasn't really surprised that they skipped over her when calling names; after all, she supposed, they probably wanted to introduce her specially, as she wasn't going to have classes with all of the other new students. 

In what felt like no time at all, the line had melted away, and Professor McGonagall had taken a surprisingly strong grip on her arm and brought Puck up in front of the students. She gulped as she looked out across the sea of black pointy hats. She suddenly wished very strongly that she had a nice, quiet room all to herself for this, instead of having nearly a thousand people watching her as the ... hat ... decided her fate. 

"This is Robyn Goodfellow," she heard the professor saying. "She was adopted this summer from an orphanage in America, and she will be a fifth year with us here. I hope you will all welcome her, whichever House she is in." McGonagall glared around the Hall impressively. "Now, Miss Goodfellow, if you will put on the hat and sit on the stool, you will be sorted into your House." 

"Uh, okay," she said; and, taking a deep breath, walked up to the hat, took it, and jammed it on her head. 

There was a silence. Then, "Ah, yes, another Goodfellow. I remember your father. Hmm, lets see ... Very interesting. Lots of courage; a sense of humor; a bit of disregard for rules, too ... yes. Very difficult." It hesitated. "You know who your grandfather is, don't you?" 

*Yes,* she though. *My parents left me a letter ...* 

"Yes, I see." It hesitated again, but Puck interrupted it. 

*You're going to put me in his House, aren't you? I just wanted to tell you that on my mother's side ...* 

"I know," the hat said. "That's part of what makes this choice so difficult. Your father's side is stronger, though, and I think you know that." 

*Yeah,* she sighed. *Can you tell me one thing, though?* 

"That depends entirely upon what it is." 

What House was my dad in? 

"The same you, actually." 

*Then I suppose you're putting me in ...* 

"Yes. All in all, I think you'll do fine in SLYTHERIN!" 

***** 

Draco watched, dumfounded, as Puck took off the hat and started walking calmly towards him. He then came to himself and started clapping loudly with the rest of his table. Puck in Slytherin? What had the hat been thinking? But she looked okay with it, so he was too. He couldn't help grinning as she sat down next to him. She grinned back, but couldn't quite bring herself to look over at the Gryffindor table. 

***** 

Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys stared at Puck as she walked over to the Slytherin table with confusion written plainly all over their faces. Finally Ron said, "How ... But I thought ... Why ... The hat put her in Slytherin?!?!" 

Dean and Seamus looked shocked as well. "She seemed so nice in the carriage," Harry heard Dean mutter. 

They didn't have much time to ponder her fate, though, because McGonagall had taken away the stool and hat, and Dumbledore was now standing. A hush gradually fell over the Hall. 

"Welcome, students, new and old. Another year has begun, and I would like to take this time before we eat to remember someone who was sitting here with us this time last year." Harry swallowed. "For those of you who did not know him, Cedric Diggory was a fine young man. He was the star of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, a loyal friend, and a hard worker. As most of you know, he was one of the two Hogwarts champions to compete in the Triwizard Tournament last year." He paused. "Cedric was killed just after the Third Task by a servant of Lord Voldemort." 

Hissing whispers broke out all over the room. Puck looked at Draco. "You were telling the truth about Him coming back when we were at the orphanage, weren't you?" 

"Of course," he replied, grinning faintly. "Would I lie to you?" 

"Ahem," Dumbledore said loudly over the not-so-soft whispers that were now springing up all over the Hall. Everyone quieted. "I will say what I said last year again; I do not think that your parents, or the Ministry of Magic, approve of me telling you about his return. However, I believe that you deserve to know the truth: Lord Voldemort has risen again, with all of his powers returned." After the very nasty silence that followed these words, he continued, "On a lighter note, I am glad to announce that the Yule Ball will once again take place this year." 

The professor was once again interrupted by the voices of students, although these whispers and murmurs were quite different from those that had swept through the Hall earlier. 

"Now, I'm happy to say that the House Elves have outdone themselves with this feast tonight, so I have just one more word to say: Enjoy." Dumbledore beamed around the at everyone once more, and sat down. 

Puck gasped as the plates in front of her filled with every kind of food imaginable, from salad to sausage and potatoes to pie. Draco chuckled. "Hungry?" he asked. She nodded mutely, eyes wide. He lowered his voice. "Bet I can eat more slices of cantaloup than you can." 

Her face lit up. "Cantaloup? I love cantaloup! You're on!" Chuckling, they both grabbed a slice of fruit and began eating fast enough to make the people on either side of them edge away in fear of being contaminated by such un-Slytherin-like behavior. 

***** 

At the Gryffindor table, they were also enjoying the feast. At least, everyone was eating heartily and joking loudly and generally being Gryffindors. However, they were all thinking to themselves, What did Puck do to deserve being put in Slytherin? 

***** 

Finally, the feast was over. Dumbledore got to his feet again and everyone looked up expectantly. "There are a few more announcements I would like to make before you all go off to your dormitories," he said in his reedy voice. "First, I would like to introduce Professor Lupin to all of you who do not know him. He will once again teach your Defense Against the Dark Arts classes ...." 

The rest of this announcement was drowned out by cheers from every table except for Slytherin. Noticing the lack of enthusiasm from her fellow House-mates, Puck put her fingers up to her lips and let loose an ear-shattering whistle. This caused more than half the Hall to look over in amazement at her, the new Slytherin girl, cheering for Professor Lupin. Out of the corner of his eye, Draco saw several of the Slytherins (Crabbe and Goyle included) scowl and crack their knuckles. He gulped, but Puck looked very pleased with herself. 

When the cheering had died down, Dumbledore continued, "Second, I would like to take the time to sing our old school song." Several of the teacher's smiles had faded, to be replaced by looks of dawning horror. However, most of the students (especially Fred and George Weasley) looked positively gleeful. Dumbledore took out his wand and flicked it, and a gold ribbon-like thing came out of it, forming words. Then he said, "Everyone pick your favorite tune, and here we go!" The entire Hall filled with a hideous noise that sounded vaguely like a school-ful of students and teachers had started singing:  


"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, 

Teach us something please, 

Whether we be old and bald 

Or young with scabby knees, 

Our heads could do with filling 

With some interesting stuff, 

For now they're bare and full of air, 

Dead flies and bits of fluff, 

So teach us things worth knowing, 

Bring back what we've forgot, 

Just do your best, we'll do the rest, 

And learn till our brains all rot."  


The Weasley twins could be heard above all the racket singing a strange duet which, Ron told Harry later, was the tune to the new official song of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. 

"And now, off to bed with you all!" called Dumbledore. "Classes start tomorrow!" And the whole school began slowly filing out the door. 

***** 

Puck walked with Draco and the other Slytherins down into the dungeons. She felt contented, full, and tired, so she hardly noticed all the secret passageways they were going through, or the fact that the dungeons seemed to be much colder than the rest of the castle. Finally, they reached a section of blank wall. Puck was just wondering why they had stopped when someone said "Serpentosis!" and the wall moved to reveal a room behind it. 

The room was rather gloomy, with greenish lamps hanging from the low ceiling, but there was a fire roaring in the grate with big armchairs arrayed in front of it. Puck stumbled up the staircase Draco pointed to, opened a door with a sign that read "Fifth Years," found the bed with her trunk at the foot, and fell asleep almost at once. 

***** 

Draco wasn't having nearly as much luck falling asleep. He was afraid that at any moment, Voldemort would pop into his head with a sneering 'Hello, Draco,' and he'd have no chance to warn Harry .... It was strange, he reflected, that he was actually worried that Voldemort would do something to Harry. A year ago, he wouldn't have thought twice about doing something to help the Dark Side and at the same time hurt his worst enemy, Harry Potter. But this year, things were different. He'd met the Dark Lord for the first time in his life, and found out that he wasn't really sure that he wanted to help him take over the world, or any of that other stuff. If he treated all of his followers the way he treated Draco, then what kind of a world would that be, if everyone lived in fear of an evil maniac? 

'Potter? Are you still awake?' 

'Yup.' 

'Can't sleep?' 

'No. What's keeping you up?' 

Draco sighed, although he knew Harry couldn't hear it. 'Voldemort.' 

Harry hesitated. 'He's keeping me up to, but for ...... different reasons.' 

Draco blinked. 'You're still thinking about Diggory, aren't you?' 

'Well ...... yeah.' 

'Look, it wasn't you're fault.' 

'I told him to take the cup with me.' 

'So? Were you the one who turned the cup into a portkey? Did you point a wand at him and say "Avada Kedavra"?' Harry was silent. 'See? You did what you thought was right.' 

'But it turned out wrong - horribly wrong. It cost Cedric his *life.*' 

'Do you think no one else has made mistakes? No one expects you to be perfect, you know.' 

'No one else I know has ever made a mistake that ended up with someone else dead.' 

Draco had to admit that he didn't have an argument for that. 

***** 

Dumbledore turned to the man sitting in his office. "Did you hear that?" 

He nodded glumly. Harry would barely have recognized the man sitting there as Sirius Black. He had gotten his hair cut, was clean-shaven, and looked as though he got regular meals. "He's still blaming himself." 

Dumbledore nodded. "Will you go see him soon?" 

Sirius nodded. "As soon as I get half a chance." 

***** 

A/N: Wow. Okay, I am really sorry about that. I know I promised to get the rest of this chapter up by, uh, last Wednesday, but I was doing battle with the evil writer's block and had to figure out what to write before I could post it. Someone pointed out to me that for a while I had the text of Chapter 6 up as Chapter 1, and I'm really sorry about that too. I hope it didn't cause too many inconveniences, or convince any would-be readers that I was a complete idiot. (What's with this girl? Why the heck does she have "Chapter 6" written on the top of Chapter 1?) Please review, even if you've reviewed every single other chapter, it means a lot to me to know that you're still reading this excuse for a fanfiction. (I have no idea if that's supposed to be one word or two.) Chapter 8 may be a bit slow in coming, but bear with me. Oh, and please look at my poems, you can find them on my profile. Even if you hate them, I'd like to know what you think. ~Bronze Eagle 


	8. An Aura, A Lie, and A Walk Down Memory L...

Harry Potter and the Face of Destiny 

By Bronze Eagle 

Chapter 8 

A/N: I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry!!!!! I really meant to have this up sooner, but then school started. ::shudders:: Anyway, I tried to make up for it by having this chapter be extra long. Please forgive me! 

Disclaimer: Since I don't feel like typing one of these at the beginning of every single chapter, you can just go look at Chapter 4, 5, 6, or 7 if you want written proof that I did not, in fact, invent Harry Potter or write any of the books. ^_^ I may put individual disclaimers on later chapters, though. 

***** 

Harry was having trouble concentrating on getting dressed that morning. He kept involuntarily flashing back on the nightmares he'd had the nights before. Okay, he thought to himself, pick up the sock - *"Avada Kedavra!" bellowed a voice in his ears* - put it on - *he saw Cedric lying spread-eagle on the ground, dead* - now pick up the other sock -* A ghost-like Cedric billowed slowly out of Voldemort's wand* - put it on, too - *"Harry," the shadow whispered, "take my body back, will you? Take my body back to my parents. . . ."* - good, we've gotten on the socks, now for the shoes - *Cho Chang, standing silently at the Leaving Feast, tears streaming down her face* - 

'Leave me alone, will you?!' Harry finally roared. 

'Uh, Harry, are you okay?' asked Draco. 

'Did .... did I say that in my mind?' 

'Yeah, you only just about blasted my brain out through my ears,' Draco replied cheerfully. Then, in a more serious tone, 'If something's bothering you, Harry, you can always tell me about it ....' 

'No, I .... well, I was having nightmares last night, and ....' his mind-voice trailed off. 

'You couldn't get them out of your head. I know how that feels.' 

Surprised, Harry could only reply, 'Thanks. I'll .... see you at breakfast, I guess.' 

'Yeah. See you then.' 

Feeling slightly more cheerful, Harry pulled on his shoes and raced down the boy's staircase to the Common Room. 

***** 

Puck decided that it was a good thing that her adoptive brother had four years of experience backing him up as they walked to the Great Hall. She would have gotten lost at the first turn if she'd had to try to find the way herself, and was, she realized, a long way from knowing her way around the castle. Heck, she thought glumly, I'll be lucky if I can find my way to breakfast by Christmas. 

As she and Draco finally came out into the Entrance Hall, Puck noticed Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys all gathered around a large, black dog. 

"Hey, Draco, let's go see what they're doing over there!" 

"Wha- Oh, sure, let's go." 

She looked at him suspiciously for a minute, but then let it slide as they threaded their way past groups of students heading into the Great Hall. 

"So, whose dog is this?" she asked brightly as they got closer. They all jumped and turned to face her. 

"Uh ...." 

"Well ...." 

"It sort of, um ....." 

"It's not really anyone's dog," said Ginny. Everyone stared at her. "Er, well, I mean that it sort of adopted us and it's been wandering around the school, but it actually belongs to Professor Lupin," she finished hastily. Harry beamed at her. 

"Oh, neat," said Puck. "What's it's name?" 

"His name is, er, Snuffles," said Harry quickly. (A/N: If you haven't figured out who the dog is, then I suggest you read Chapter 27 in HP & the GoF again and/or get your brain checked.^_~) 

"Can I pet him?" 

"Sure." 

'That was a bit too close,' Harry said to Draco as Puck petted "Snuffles." 

'Yeah, tell me about it.' Draco hesitated. 'You will tell her sometime, though, won't you? I don't want to have to keep more secrets from her than absolutely necessary.' 

'Sure, but the Entrance Hall at breakfast time doesn't strike me as the place to do it.' 

'Ah, right, that makes sense.' 

'You know, this mind-speaking stuff is pretty convenient. If I hadn't told you about "Snuffles," you might have blown the whole thing.' 

'I would never blow your cover!' 

'Not on purpose, anyway,' a voice said, sounding rather amused. 

Harry and Draco managed not to shout, jump out of their skins, or do anything to call attention to themselves, but it was a close thing. 

'Who said that?' Draco asked shakily. 

'Not me,' Harry replied. 

'It was me,'said the strange voice. 

*'Sirius?'* asked Harry incredulously. 

'The one and only,' replied the voice smugly. 

'You can mind-speak in your animagus form?' Draco asked suspiciously. 

'Only because I'm extremely skilled at it, and because I'm talking to two people who're also good at mind-speaking,' Sirius answered. 

'But we've only just started mind-speaking,' said Harry uncertainly. 

'And I can already tell that you're both very good at it,' Sirius replied. 'You might want to try channeling your thoughts a bit more, though. If you don't do that, anyone can overhear what you're saying.' 

'Um, thanks, Sirius.' 

'And, Harry, I'd like to talk to you sometime, so you can tell me how you've been.' 

'Sure, that'd be great! How about meeting me in the library sometime, if Madame Pince will let you in.' 

'That's a pretty big "if," if you ask me,' Draco commented. 'Well, it was nice meeting you, Sirius, but Puck'll kill me if I'm late for breakfast.' And he walked off. 

'Sirius, I have to get to breakfast too, but it you want to come in ....' 

'No, that's all right. I'll see you later, Harry.' 

'Yeah, see you.' 

***** 

Puck bounced happily into the Great Hall, awed once again as she looked around. Today the ceiling was clear, with just a few wisps of cloud to mar the bright blue that was spreading across the sky. She still marveled at the perfect imitation of the outside that the roof of the Hall displayed, although she had read about that, as well as many other fascinating enchantments of Hogwarts, in one of her textbooks; Hogwarts, a History. (She'd had a *lot* of time to read her new books during her time at the Malfoy's.) The Founders were amazing, she thought as she stared upwards. I wish I'd listened to more of the song that hat sang yesterday. 

She glanced impatiently back at Draco, who was hurrying up beside her. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go have breakfast! I'm starved!" 

"Yeah, me too," he said unenthusiastically. 

Puck apparently didn't notice his shockingly un-hungry-sounding response; she was already half way to the Slytherin table. Draco sighed, and followed. 

***** 

Harry sat at his seat, trying to ignore Ron and Hermione's spirited "discussion" about spew (Hermione had brought up the subject with the air of someone who was about to hand you an extra large birthday present that morning) and wondered how the heck he was supposed to finish his entire bowl of cereal. The only times he'd ever felt less hungry was when he was facing one of the three tasks of the Triwizard Tournament. He scowled at his soggy cornflakes. 

'How could *anyone* feel like eating?' he asked Draco mournfully. 

Draco's mental voice seemed a little strained. 'I don't know, ask Puck.' 

Harry glanced around. He could just see Puck if he leaned backward and looked over that Ravenclaw's shoulder ..... He stifled a snort. There were Puck and Draco, with several seats empty on either side of them. Draco was picking raisins out of his toast and putting them in a pile next to his plate, and Puck was picking them up absently and putting them in her cereal, which was disappearing at an alarmingly fast rate. She also, to Harry's amusement, had a plate stacked high with more toast at her elbow. A large pitcher of pumpkin juice sat between them. 

'Um, I guess she *is* hungry, huh?' 

'Yeah, just a little.' 

There was a pause. 'You've got plenty of elbow room, don't you?' 

Harry saw Draco grimace across the Hall. 'I think the rest of them don't like Puck very much because she was actually *cheering* for Professor Lupin last night. I guess I'm just as bad, because I hang around with her.' 

'Ah,' Harry replied intelligently. 'I guess she was giving your table a bad reputation, huh?' 

Draco managed a grin. 'I - ' 

He was interrupted by the arrival of the mail. Although all of the older students were used to hundreds of owls streaming in through the windows by now, the first years and Puck gaped in open-mouthed astonishment. 'Got to go,' Draco said hastily, and Harry saw him turn to Puck. Harry looked up and was glad to see Hedwig coming down to say hello. 

He looked up at the staff table, where the teachers sat, and watched Dumbledore open a letter absently as he scratched Hedwig's back. He was surprised to see the Headmaster turn pale, and turn to Professor McGonagall. She opened her mouth slightly, then closed it and firmly nodded her head. Harry watched in growing amazement as McGonagall got up and started to make her way around the table. 

'Draco, look at McGonagall. What's she doing?' 

'Harry, not right now, Puck's ...... What *is* she doing?' 

They watched silently as the professor walked over to the Gryffindor table. Then, 'I can't see her anymore. Who's she talking to?' 

'Er, it looks like .... Oh, it's Lavender Brown. McGonagall's bending down -' 

Suddenly Harry stopped as a heart-rending shriek sounded through the Hall. Lavender stood up suddenly, staring at the professor. Harry winced as her hysterical voice reached his ears, but then he gasped as what she was saying hit him. 

"NO!!! THEY CAN'T BE DEAD!!!" Her voice quieted slightly. "My .... my sister was going to college this year. Was she there when ....." Lavender broke off, apparently too stunned to continue. 

McGonagall's normally stern face looked unusually sad and compassionate. "I'm glad to say that your sister left earlier that day, but your parents ......" McGonagall blinked rapidly and looked away. 

'What did they say?' Draco sounded frantic. 

'It's Lavender's parents. I ..... think they were ..... that Voldemort ..... he killed them." 

'No ........' Draco thought, more to himself than Harry. 'Wouldn't he have come to tell me? To gloat?' Suddenly he stopped. 'The dream!' 

'You had a dream about Voldemort killing Lavender's parents?' Harry asked incredulously. 

'That must have been what it was about,' Draco thought distractedly. 'I thought it was just a nightmare, but .....' His mental voice suddenly broke off. 

Harry looked worriedly over at the Slytherin table. Draco was hunched over in his seat, his head in his hands. Puck was standing on her chair next to him, trying to look over the heads of other students to see what was going on. 

'Draco?' Harry asked worriedly. 

'Draco is .... out at the moment,' hissed a voice in his mind. Harry recoiled as Draco lifted his head and stared straight at him. There was a definite red hint to Draco's eyes. 

*'You,'* he glared. 

***** 

Professor Dumbledore's head suddenly snapped up. Voldemort? Where .... but no, the man himself wasn't here. Some sort of projection, then ...... 

Dumbledore's sharp eyes swept across the students milling around in front of him. He'd have to quiet them down, soon; the last thing Lavender needed at a time like this was to have everyone asking her questions. 

His eyes rested upon Harry. The boy was staring at something across the hall. Or maybe someone ..... The Professor looked across the Hall to the Slytherin table. Who was Potter looking at? Then he saw Draco Malfoy. He was glaring malevolently across the Hall, right back at Harry, it seemed, but the mental conversation he and Sirius had overheard suggested that the two had finally worked out their differences. Why were they suddenly enemies again? 

His eyes narrowed as Malfoy collapsed onto the table, and the aura he had felt slowly drained the room. No, not all of it. Now that he knew it was there, he could just barely sense a wisp of the essence of his former student. He looked over at Potter. The boy was up out of his seat, apparently trying to get to the Slytherin table. Of course, with all of the confusion caused by the news of the death of Lavender's parents, he was making very little progress. 

Dumbledore was suddenly brought to himself by that thought. He stood, mentally shaking himself free of those thoughts. They would be dealt with when the time came. Right now, he had to calm down the students. 

"Please!" he called out with a ringing authority that somehow made itself heard over the deafening noise of the hall. Everyone quieted and looked up at the Headmaster. "Professor McGonagall, will you please take Miss Brown to your office? Her sister will be here shortly." The solemn-faced professor led a sobbing Lavender out of the Great Hall. The rest of the students turned to Dumbledore, who cleared his throat. "I would like to request you all to not ask questions of Lavender unless and until she feels that she is ready to talk about this subject." Several students shifted uncomfortably. "I would also like to ask that you all return to your seats, so we can have some small amount of order restored to us." All of the people in the Hall started to move slowly back to their seats. 

Harry took advantage of the pause in Dumbledore's speech. 'Draco, are you okay?' 

'I'm fine, I was just -' 

'Unconscious,' Harry finished bluntly. 

'*Really*? I had no idea. I guess *that's* why I feel so groggy and everthing,' Draco replied sarcastically. 

'Oh, good,' Harry said, relieved. 

'What do you mean, good?!' Draco asked indignantly. 

'Well, you were being all sarcastic, so I could tell that you were feeling better,' Harry said hastily. 

'You know -' 

'Harry.' 

Suddenly there were two people speaking to him at once. 'Wait, Draco, just a minute. Someone's talking to me.' 

'I don't see anyone talking to you,' Draco said suspiciously. 'Are you - Oh, wait, never mind.' 

Harry waited for a moment to see if Draco was done, and then said, 'Yes?' 

'Harry this is Professor Dumbledore. I'd like to see you after breakfast in my office. The password is "Pepper Imps." Do you have your schedule yet?' 

'Er, not quite,' Harry said, jerking out of his stupor and looking down the table. Why did Dumbledore want to talk to him? He hadn't even flown a car to school this year .... 'They're being passed down right now.' 

'Excellent. What do you have first?' 

'Transfiguration,' Harry replied, taking his schedule from Ron. 

'I'll tell Professor McGonagall that you'll be late for her class. Thank you, Harry.' 

'No problem,' he replied faintly. Dumbledore *couldn't* have found out about Voldemort, could he? Harry felt as if a huge ice cube had slid down into his stomach at the thought. I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of me, even if it means lying to Dumbledore. 

***** 

Ginny stared down the Gryffindor table at Harry, feeling confused and a little sad. Why was Harry being so distant? Ron and Hermione were arguing about S. P. E. W. again, and usually Harry joined in with those discussions, even if he was just being a peacemaker. But he obviously wasn't even listening to their conversation. 

In fact, he looked as though he was in the middle of a conversation with someone else entirely. But there was no one else who could possibly be talking to him. Was there? Ginny wasn't so sure. 

***** 

"But it's not going to work, Hermione, I keep telling you," Ron tried once again. 

"Ron, how many times do I have to say this?! It's people like you, who don't see anything wrong with the *enslavement* of other creatures, who allow this atrocity to continue!!" Hermione argued passionately. 

"It's not an 'atrocity,' Hermione," Ron said patiently. "They *like* doing work. You've seen them in the kitchens here! They love their jobs!" 

"They've been brainwashed," sniffed Hermione. "You only have to look at Dobby to see how much happier they are when they're freed." 

"And you only have to look at Winky to see that most of them, the normal ones, anyway, think that being freed is the worst thing that could ever happen to them." 

"I keep telling you, they've been *brainwashed,* and they don't know any better!!" Hermione insisted. 

"Whatever," Ron sighed, "just give it up." He glanced down at the stack of papers he was holding. "Hey, Harry, here's you schedule." Harry took it with a vague "Thanks." 

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. 

"Um, Harry," Hermione began, "is anything wrong?" 

Harry sat there for a moment before he realized that he was being addressed. "Er, sorry, what?" 

"Are you feeling okay?" Ron asked. "You've just been sitting there for all of breakfast, and you haven't even taken two bites yet." 

"I'm, uh, not that hungry," Harry said, pushing away his bowl. "I've got to go talk to go talk to Professor ..... Lupin for a minute. You go on ahead without me." 

"Well, okay ..." 

"If you're sure ..." 

"Yes, I'm sure, it's fine," Harry said hastily. "You can walk to Transfiguration with Draco and Puck." It was then that the other two realized that the Gryffindors had Transfiguration with the Slytherins. While they puzzled over this, Harry quietly slipped away. 

Only Ginny notice him leave. 

***** 

Harry's mind was far away as he made his way towards Dumbledore's office. How could Dumbledore have found out about Voldemort and Draco? For surely there was no other reason for him to call Harry to his office on the first day of school. 

'Draco?' 

'What? No, I - I mean, just a minute.' 

Harry sighed to himself as he felt the other's mind slip away. Voldemort would have killed Draco if he had so much as thought about telling Dumbledore, so Harry wasn't sure why he wanted to ask Draco if he knew what Dumbledore wanted to talk to him about. He just wanted some answers .... 

Suddenly Harry realized that he was at the stone gargoyle that was the mark of the secret entrance to Dumbledore's office. He shook himself out of his daze, and marched up to the statue. "Pepper Imps," he said loudly. The gargoyle silently jumped to one side, and Harry nervously climbed onto the moving staircase that would take him up to Dumbledore. 

He stepped off at the top, and knocked timidly on the door. 

"Enter," called a voice from inside. 

Okay, you can do this, Harry thought to himself as he stepped into the room. He had always loved this office, but today its beauty was overshadowed by his feeling of extreme unease. The portraits of previous headmasters and headmistresses seemed to glare down at him, and shadows lurked behind cabinets and tables. He pushed these thoughts away, and turned to face Dumbledore. 

"Thank you for coming so swiftly, Harry," Dumbledore began. "Sirius told me he has spoken to you. I will be sure to inform Professor Lupin that he now owns a dog." The Headmaster's eyes twinkled. 

"Thanks, Professor," Harry managed. 

"I'm sure that you are wondering why I asked you to come here. Well, I will try to be truthful and to the point, as I hope you will be with me." Harry felt his insides shrivel up. "Today during breakfast, just after Lavender received word of what has happened to her parents, I felt a most curious aura in the Great Hall." 

"Aura?" asked Harry, unable to stop himself. 

"A .... presence, if you will," Dumbledore explained. "Each person has their own individual aura, and a wizard trained to do so can sense the aura of any person, Muggle or wizard. Muggle's auras are usually not as strong as those of wizards, but can still be sensed." Harry nodded, and Dumbledore continued. "The aura that I sensed this morning was none other than that of Lord Voldemort." He looked at Harry piercingly. 

So *that* was how he knew, Harry thought, feeling slightly panicked. But I *can't* tell him. Voldemort will hurt more innocent people, like Lavender's parents. He forced himself to look up at Dumbledore again. 

Dumbledore was looking steadily at him, gauging his reaction. "I have reason to believe that Mr. Malfoy and yourself know something about Voldemort's activities. I need to know how he was able to project himself into the very heart of this castle without any warning. His presence was strong enough for him to be able to do some serious damage inside the castle, and as Headmaster, I cannot allow this to happen. Do you know anything about any of this?" 

Harry lowered his eyes, not daring to look up at Dumbledore, for fear that the Professor would somehow be able to read everything simply by looking through him with that piercing gaze. He felt Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, fly over and land on the back of his chair. His hands were shaking slightly. Voldemort could certainly do harm to those in the castle, that was true, but he *would* do harm to people in the castle, and most likely people who didn't live in the castle as well, if he told. Harry had no doubt that Voldemort would find out if he told, too. There seemed to be only one solution to his problem, but that was one he was reluctant to take. I won't kill anyone else, he told himself firmly, thinking once again of Cedric. I *refuse* to be responsible for more innocent deaths. 

He raised his head slightly. "I'm sorry, Professor, but I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." 

***** 

After Harry left his office, Dumbledore sat quietly at his desk for some time. He was sure Harry had lied, but why? Was he trying to protect someone? Did he believe that Dumbledore, and all of the rest of the adults in his life, would be unable to help him if he told them what was going through his mind? One thing was for sure; they certainly couldn't help him if they didn't know what the danger was in the first place. 

***** 

Harry felt terrible. How could he have lied to Dumbledore? And yet, how could he not? As he slipped into his seat in the Transfiguration, he wondered to himself if all of the questions he had might not just drive him insane. He rather hoped they might. Then he wouldn't have to deal with Voldemort or anyone again. 

Stop that, he told himself firmly. Going mad won't help anyone. 

'Harry ....' 

He looked up quickly. Professor McGonagall was looking right at him. 

"Now that Mr. Potter is *paying attention,* we can begin. Please take out your copies of Intermediate Transfiguration, and open to page 346." 

'Thanks,' Harry thought as he dug through his bag. 

'No problem. Hey, what did Dumbledore want to talk to you about?' 

Harry hesitated. 'Well ...... have you ever heard of something called an aura?' 

'I think so. Isn't that sort of like a field of energy, or magic, or something, that people have around them?' 

'Yeah, that's it. Well, I guess you can sense them, and at breakfast today, Dumbledore sensed Voldemort.' 

Draco looked at him across the room, with a horrified expression on his face, which would have been funny, had it not been such a serious moment. 'You didn't ..... you didn't tell him, did you?' 

'No, I said I didn't know anything about it, but I don't think he believed me. We're going to have to be really careful. I bet Voldemort will be, too, once he finds out that he was almost discovered on the first day.' 

'Yeah, or else he'll think it's funny to watch us try to cover up for him.' 

'Ha, ha,' Harry thought bleakly. 

***** 

Professor Lupin glanced up as he heard someone enter his office. "Ah, there you are," (his mouth twitched) "Snuffles." 

'Very funny,' Sirius thought, his canine face looking up at his "owner" reproachfully. 

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. Did you find Harry?" 

'Yes. I talked to him and Draco Malfoy.' 

Lupin grinned. "So Draco and Harry really *have* been getting along. I was wondering if I should have sent an entry to the Guinness Book of World Records. I witnessed Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter standing within spitting distance of each other, and neither one said anything even remotely annoying." 

Sirius replied with what sounded like a hacking bark; Lupin could only assume it was a laugh. Then he became serious. (No pun intended. ^_^) 

'Dumbledore said that when he spoke with Harry in his office this just now, he asked if Harry knew anything about the aura that he sensed. He told you about that, right?' 

"Of course." 

Sirius nodded awkwardly. 'Well, Dumbledore's sure Harry knows something about it, but he said that he had "no idea what you're talking about, Professor."' 

Lupin chuckled. "Prongs wasn't any good at lying to Dumbledore, either." 

'Yeah, remember that time we got caught -' 

"*You and Prongs* got caught. Chances are, I wasn't with you if you got caught." 

'Point taken. However, I believe this was one of those *rare* times -' 

Lupin raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, fine, maybe I was with you, but *don't* bring it up." 

Sirius' doggy grin became, if possible, even wider. 'Oooh, remember that time we went out to the forest in our sixth year, and The Malevolent Snake followed us -' 

Lupin began laughing. "Yeah, the expression on his face .... !" They dissolved into laughter (mental laughter, in Sirius' case). 

'We got in a bit trouble for that one, though.' 

Lupin grimaced. "I've avoided the trophy room ever since." 

'Elbow grease. Ugh.' Then Sirius grinned his doggy grin again. 'I got him right in the eye, though.' 

Both sat, lost in happy memories, until Lupin jumped up. "Look at the time! I've got a class in three minutes! See you later, Padfoot." He dashed out of the room. 

Sirius curled up behind Lupin's desk and looked up at a picture of James sitting on the desk. 

God, Prongs, I wish you were here, Sirius thought fiercely. Harry deserves more than a godfather who doesn't even own a house, can't even be seen in public without being arrested or killed. Did you realize what kind of life Harry would have when you made me his guardian? You couldn't have realized that Wormtail would betray you. You trusted people. You believed in giving second chances. I didn't. God, why didn't I think, even for an instant it could be Wormtail? I could have spared Harry the fourteen years he's spent with those miserable relatives of his .... I could have saved your *lives* .... I know you wouldn't want me to think like this, if you could hear me. But what do you want me to think? "Oh, of course you didn't suspect Wormtail, he was too well hidden, a servant of *Voldemort,* for crying out loud, he *obviously* knew how to hide, it's not your fault." Well, if it's not my fault, then why was it *me* who suggested the switch? Why didn't I keep an eye on Wormtail, find some way to watch him? Why for, God's sake, didn't I let you tell Moony or Dumbledore? "The fewer people that know, the better." I'm such an *idiot*!!!!! 

Why am I talking to a ghost, anyway? 

I *know* you're gone. God, if I could have a second chance, I'd make it right, Prongs. I'd kill the dirty little rat for you. I'd kill his master while I was at it, too. I would have made sure neither of them could ever touch Harry. It almost killed me when he disappeared last year during the Third Task, you know. He's all I have left of you, Prongs. I can't loose you again. I learned a lot about myself when I was in Azkaban, and I know that if I had to go through what I went through when I learned you were dead, *again,* I'd die. There wouldn't be enough will left in me to curse myself for the idiot I've been, much less breathe. 

***** 

Done!!!!! Yay!!! I'm sooooo sorry this took so long, I promise I will start the next chapter soon. Tell me what you think! BTW, *these* are used in place of italics, in case that was confusing you. ^_^ Again, I'm really sorry this took so long. 

Don't forget about me!! I *will* get the next chapter up eventually!!! ~Bronze Eagle 


	9. Seers, Smitten Students, and Serious Dis...

Harry Potter and the Face of Destiny 

By Bronze Eagle 

Chapter 9 

A/N: I tried to get this chapter out faster, but it still took a while. (Heh, sorry .... ::runs away from angry readers::) Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!!! I really appreciate it. This chapter's dedicated to kittyluver87, and everyone else who told me to get my butt in gear and keep writing! (If anyone has a better title for this chapter, I'm open to suggestions.) 

Disclaimer thingy: For those of you who don't know, "acromantula" is the official name for those nasty giant spiders that Harry and Ron encountered in the Forbidden Forest. I got is straight from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, so I'm not claiming ownership of anything. (What would I do with a ten-foot-tall spider, anyway?) 

***** 

Harry thought the day would never end. After Transfiguration (in which he felt like his brain was still on vacation), the Gryffindors had Potions with the Slytherins. Snape had taken nearly 15 points from Gryffindor when they finally escaped for lunch. Ron then exploded when he looked at his schedule to see what they were in for next. 

"DOUBLE DIVINATION with the SLYTHERINS?!" He moaned, and put his face in his hands. "Kill me now." 

Harry forced a grin onto his face. "At least Trelawny won't be 'predicting' that someone will." Ron merely groaned louder, and started muttering furiously under his breath. 

Hermione was looking over her schedule with interest. "That's strange." 

"What?" Both Harry and Ron looked over at her, Ron momentarily distracted from his misery. 

"We have Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, and Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins .... you two have Divination with them, too, of course." 

Ron looked as though he'd just been informed that his parents were getting him an acromantula for his birthday. When he finally was able to speak, he said, in a strangled voice, "Why do we have so many classed with the Slytherins? Wasn't seeing Malfoy's ugly mug a few times a week bad enough?" He groaned once more, and put his head back down. 

Harry grinned. 'Hey, Draco, have you seen our schedules?' 

***** 

Puck trotted after Draco, Harry, and Ron as they led her through a bewildering maze of staircases, secret doors, and twisting hallways. Utterly lost, she gave up trying to memorize their route. Instead, she fell into thought. 

Why was Draco being so distant? Sure, they hadn't exactly bonded as brother and sister, but lately he hadn't even spoken to her, outside of "Ready to go? We have Potions," or "That's Snape, the teacher." Very informative. She'd been appalled at how the Potions Master had treated the Gryffindor members of the class, but they seemed used to it. The Head of Gryffindor House, Professor McGonagall, hadn't seemed to favor her students or discriminate against the rival House's students. If Snape was the only teacher who treated students like that, why hadn't Draco told her about him? She let out a small, frustrated sigh. Ron Weasley apparently heard it, because he dropped back to walk with her. 

"Hey, Puck." 

"Um, hi." 

He grinned. "Oh, I see. Too busy with worldly thoughts to want to talk with poor old me?" He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Harry does that all the time. Carry on; I don't envy you the fate of the planet. You can have it." He waved his hand grandly. Puck giggled. 

"Course, you'd know all about being the savior of the world." 

"Of course," he agreed. 

Puck felt herself warming to the tall redhead walking beside her. "So, how long have you known Harry and Hermione?" 

Ron thought for a moment. "Well, the first time I saw Harry was at King's Cross Station when we were getting onto the train platform in our first year. We ended up sitting in the same train compartment, and it went from there. We met Hermione on the same train ride," here he smiled, "but we didn't really get along with her until we knocked out a mountain troll together. Long story. Anyway, I've known them both practically forever." 

But Puck was determined to hear about their defeat of the troll, and, when she found out about it, their recovery of the Sorcerer's Stone. As Ron talked himself hoarse (something he was always happy to do, especially if he was talking about himself and there were girls around), Harry and Draco listened with great amusement. 

'I heard about you escapades in our first year,' Draco commented, 'but I don't remember the part where Weasley beat me up for trying to get you all in trouble about Hagrid's dragon.' 

'After his hand got better, of course,' Harry thought, trying to keep a straight face. 'Or the part where *he* caught that flying key.' 

They both had to stifle their snickers as Ron, with much embellishment, described the chess game they'd played on the giant chess board. Harry's spirits dropped, however, when he noticed that they had reached the trapdoor that led up to Professor Trelawny's classroom. There, almost all of the class was waiting, including Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson. Draco's face fell slightly as well. Meanwhile, Ron had moved onto the subject of the Divination professor in his one-way discussion with Puck. 

"A little ..... out of it, Trelawny is. A nice old bat, in her own way, at least if you ask Lavender or Pavarti. If you ask me, though, she's been off her rocker for years." 

He stopped as the ladder descended in front of them, and grinned at Puck. "Ladies first." She shot him a dirty look, and ascended the ladder. 

The room she entered was oppressively warm, and smelled strongly of herbs and other less pleasant things. It was also full of overstuffed chairs, and had an unearthly turquoise fire in the fireplace. 

"Welcome," said a voice right behind her. "You are, of course, Robyn Goodfellow." 

Puck jumped, and spun around. At first thinking it was a stand of tawdry jewelry and scarves, she then realized that she must be looking at Professor Trelawny. Puck continued to stare as the rest of the class slowly came up the silver ladder behind her. 

"C'mon, let's sit down." Draco took her by the back of the robes and pushed her down onto large pouf beside one of the tables. He, Ron, and Harry all seated themselves around the same table. Draco pretended no to notice the rest of the Slytherins glaring at him. 

"Welcome back," Professor Trelawny said mistily as she gazed around the room. Her eyes rested on Harry for a moment, who winced almost imperceptibly. 

'I know Trelawny's bad, Potter, but she's not *that* bad, is she?' 

'Worse.' 

Draco didn't have a chance to respond as the Divination professor continued. 

"We will be reviewing everything we have learned in the past two years, so I can be sure all of you are prepared to continue your education in the noble art of Divination, and for the tests that await us at the end of this year." 

Ron swore under his breath. 

"First, we will be reviewing tea leaves. Please come up and choose you tea cups ...." 

Harry glanced over at Pavarti and Lavender, who looked ecstatic. He did not share their sentiments. 

'I remember when we first did this, back in our third year,' Harry thought to Draco as he reluctantly stood up. 

'Really? How hard is it?' 

'Why, didn't you have it in your first Divination classes?' 

'No, I took Muggle Studies for the first term of third year.' 

'*You* took Muggle Studies?' 

Draco shifted uncomfortably. 'Yes, *I* took Muggle Studies.' 

'Well why'd you stop?' 

'My father was less than pleased when he found out,' Draco replied flatly. 

'Oh.' Harry sensed that this was a subject he shouldn't push. Instead, he contented himself with explaining the rudimentary of reading tea leaves, aloud for Puck's benefit, with Ron chipping in occasionally (although his comments generally weren't very helpful). 

"Then you swill the cup around three times with your left hand -" 

"Sneeze into it five -" 

Harry put his hand over Ron's mouth and continued. "Turn it over on the saucer and let the last of the tea drain out." 

Ron pushed Harry's hand away. "Then eat the tea leaves an tell Trelawny you have to go to the hospital wing to get a treatment for terminal boredom." 

Puck chuckled as Harry gave an exasperated sigh. "Don't look so frustrated, Harry, he was only trying to help us understand the lesson," she grinned. 

"Yeah, I was only trying to help." 

"Shut up and drink your bloody tea, Weasley." 

Ron gave Draco an injured look. 

"It's scalding hot, Malfoy, don't you care if I burn my poor tender tongue?" 

"No." 

"You know, Malfoy -" 

"Just drink your tea, Ron. You too, Draco." 

"Oh, okay." And in one gulp, Ron downed most of the liquid in his cup (which was lukewarm). Letting out a long-suffering sigh, Draco followed suit. 

***** 

"I'm still not seeing anything," Ron complained. 

"You must look past the mundane! Open your inner eye and see what the future reveals to you," Harry said in a passable imitation of Professor Trelawny. 

Ron had to stuff his fist in his mouth to muffle his snorts as the professor herself walked up behind him and glanced over his shoulder disapprovingly. She looked ready to reprimand him, until Pavarti and Lavender called her over to their table. (Lavender had reappeared during lunch. It seemed her sister had decided that Hogwarts was the safest place for her to stay for the time being.) 

Ron let out a long breath as she walked away, having finally stopped laughing. 

"I still don't see anything." 

Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, Puck and Draco had traded cups. 

"You're sure you have it down?" Harry had asked. 

"Yeah," Puck had replied. "I mean, how hard can it be? Especially if Trelawny can do it." 

"Good point," Ron agreed. 

"Okay then, you and Draco pair off, and I'll trade cups with Ron." 

Draco shrugged, Puck nodded, and Ron snorted. Harry had taken these actions as signs of agreement, and slid his cup over to Ron. 

Puck got out her copy of Unfogging the Future and turned to page 5. 

"Okay, Draco, give me your cup." Draco reluctantly handed over his tea cup. "Uh, right .... Oh! I get it!" Puck turned the cup rapidly. "You have a club, a falcon, a crooked cross, and .... Well, that kind of looks like a wave, but it's not in the book." Draco's jaw was almost touching his knees before he snapped it shut. Puck was busy examining her textbook and didn't notice. Suddenly, she went very white. 

"But, that can't be right ... It is, though, they're as plain as day ...." 

"What?" 

Puck took a deep breath, and then slowly let it out. "I don't know how much you believe in all this Divination stuff, but if you do, you'd better be careful." Draco liked his suddenly dry lips, and nodded for her to continue. "I ... I've predicted you'll be attacked, that you have a deadly enemy, and that you'll suffer a lot. I don't know what the last one means, but it has something to do with change, I think." 

Draco sat back in his chair, stunned. Not because of the news Puck had shared with him, though that in itself was worrying, but at the fact that his sister was, apparently, a seer. 

***** 

Everyone was glad to get out of Divination, Ron declaring that the best thing about the lesson was it was over. 

Harry was mildly concerned to note that Draco didn't even sneer at this. He was gathering his things slowly, a vacant look in his eyes. 

"Draco, come on, we're leaving." 

He seemed to come to himself. "Oh, I'll be a minute. You go on ahead to dinner with Puck." 

Harry shrugged, and descended the ladder, Ron and Puck behind him. 

Draco sighed deeply as they left his field of vision. Taking as long as he could to pack up, he braced himself for what he knew was coming. And sure enough, as soon as he'd gone down the ladder and turned a corner, the other Slytherins were upon him He was grimly amused to see that Crabbe and Goyle had taken up their once familiar positions not beside him, but on either side of Pansy Parkinson. She seemed to be the leader of the gang. 

"So," sneered Pansy, "here's the traitor. Tell me, Malfoy, where're your little Gryffindor friends? Are you finally tired of hiding behind Potter and that sister of yours?" 

"Leave her out of this," growled Draco. 

"'Leave her out of this'?" she mocked. "Did I hear you right? You're sticking up for someone else? How un-Slytherin of you." 

Draco gritted his teeth and considered several replies to this observation. He chose the one that was least rude. 

"'Un-Slytherin'? Sticking up for another Slytherin - and pureblood - is un-Slytherin? Strange, I thought you had better reasoning skills than that, Parkinson." 

"Oh, you only stick up for her because she's Slytherin and pureblood? Good, for a minute I thought you were getting sentimental on us." 

Draco shook his head angrily. "So being sentimental is un-Slytherin now? Have you ever considered that maybe I don't want to fit into your image of the perfect Slyth -" He stopped abruptly as he realized what he'd been saying. 

Pansy's eyes glittered dangerously. "I think your father would be very interested to hear what you really think about the greatest of the Hogwarts houses, Malfoy. Are you forgetting your family pride? Or is that less important than sentimentality, too?" 

Without giving him a chance to answer, she waved a hand at Crabbe and Goyle. "Teach him a what happens when a Slytherin forgets his place, boys." And she walked off down the corridor, with the other Slytherins following. 

Crabbe and Goyle quickly tried to pin Draco against the wall, but he anticipated them and ducked under their arms. He'd watched them work for too many years not to know their moves. He pulled out his wand, and, spinning, stunned them both. He ran then, because he knew (also from experience) that stunning spells didn't affect their thick heads for long, and they'd be even madder at him when they woke up. Draco decided he'd better conveniently "miss" dinner. Muttering an apology to Puck under his breath, he made tracks for the library. 

***** 

As Harry, Ron, and puck passed Sir Cadogan's portrait, Harry snuck another glance over his shoulder. Where *was* Draco? He'd said he would only take a minute. 

"Hey, Puck," exclaimed Ron, "we forgot to show you where the library is. It's right on the way to dinner." He paused. "You coming, Harry?" 

"Wha - yeah, sorry." 

Ron gave him a funny look, then turned back to Puck. "C'mon, this way." 

Harry looked over his shoulder again. There probably wasn't any problem, but he decided to check up on Draco anyway. 

'Hey, Malfoy, where are you?' 

Draco's irritable reply came back almost immediately. 'What do you mean by that?' 

'We're nearly to the library. Why haven't you caught up to us yet?' 

'I was ... delayed. Listen, I can't make it to dinner. Tell Puck ... something. Tell her I have to go to the library.' 

'Are you really going to be *in* the library?' 

'Yes, actually.' 

'We'll meet you there, then. Ron wants to show Puck where it is anyway.' Before Draco could reply, Harry continued, "So. You where "delayed"? What exactly do you mean by that?' 

'I really don't wan to talk about it, and it's really none of your business.' He paused, and Harry got the sense that he was taking a deep breath. 'So, do you think Ron likes Puck? Bit presumptuous, isn't it?' 

'WHAT?!' 

'Really, Potter, it's quite obvious. I bet he's talking to her right now, either bragging or showing off how much he knows about the school. Am I right?' 

Harry looked. He was. 

Draco took Harry's mutinous silence as a yes. 'See? What did I tell you? She's got him hook, line, and sinker.' 

Harry was still speechless. Finally, he replied with a weak, 'Maybe he's just trying to be friendly.' 

'Right, Potter. Whatever your deluded mind wants to think.' 

'Uh, listen. I have to go. We're at the library. You are meeting us, right?' 

'Well ... I suppose. I'll be a few minutes, though.' 

'That's fine.' 

Still in a state of shock, Harry silently followed Ron and Puck into the library. They continued to chatter away. 

***** 

Puck was delighted by the Hogwarts library. It seemed as though miles of shelves stretched along the walls. Books of every shape, size, and description lined the room. All the sections were labeled in tiny, cramped handwriting that she suspected belonged to the librarian. The woman herself was sitting behind an oversized desk, peering beadily around and jumping at small noises. She fixed Puck and Ron with a glare as soon as they entered the room. 

"Quiet," she hissed. "This is a *library*. Please act accordingly." 

Puck whispered an embarrassed apology as Ron dragged her behind a bookshelf. 

"That's Madame Pince. She's a nightmare; this library is her whole life. She's convinced that students take books out just to 'tear, rip, shred, mangle, and otherwise harm' them." 

"Just a little overprotective, huh?" 

"Just a little. Hey, Harry, where're you going?" 

Harry jumped guiltily and turned back to Ron and Puck. "Uh, just going to, uh, look up something for our homework." 

"*What* homework?" 

"Er ... Potions." 

"In the curses section?" Ron saved Harry the trouble of answering by interrupting himself. "Actually, never mind, we should be going down to dinner." 

"I'll be a second, okay? I have to, uh -" 

"Whatever." Ron rolled his eyes. "You don't have to tell me. It can wait. See you later." 

Harry sighed in relief as Ron and Puck left, and turned back to the curses section. There had to be something on variations of the Imperious Curse here *somewhere*. 

***** 

Draco slowed to a fast walk as he turned the corner to the library corridor. There were most likely people there, and it certainly wouldn't do for anyone to see him running like a scared child. 

He was right. There *were* people in the corridor. Just not exactly who he had been expecting. 

"Puck!" he called out. 

She turned, surprised. "What is it? You don't have to shout." 

"I have to talk to you." He stopped to really catch his breath. "Can you come into the library with me, or something? *Alone?*" he added pointedly as Ron began to follow. 

Puck looked indignant. "Anything you can tell me, you can tell him. I *trust* Ron." 

"No, it's okay," Ron said suddenly. "I know when I'm not wanted." He departed, directing a look of pure venom at Draco as he left. 

"Damn right," Draco muttered as he walked into the library with Puck. 

"What was that?" 

"Uh, turn right, there's an empty table." He hastily sat down, then turned to face Puck, a serious expression on his face. 

"We need to talk," he began. 

"I know." Puck rested her chin on her hand. "For starters, what were you going to tell me on the train?" 

Here it comes, Draco thought. "That well ... my father's a Death Eater, for one thing. You know what they are? They're like Voldemort's personal servants - the followers that are right in his inner circle. Well, the Dark Lord wanted us to adopt you. Don't ask me why. So we -" Draco's face suddenly contorted briefly, then smoothed. He laughed at the horrified expression on Puck's face. "I really had you going, didn't I? That's not actually what I was going to tell you. I *wanted* to warn you that Potter's little gang was the wrong sort for you to be consorting with, but there's obviously no hope of convincing you now." He stood up. "I've seen the way you look at that Weasley trash. Honestly, that family's hardly better than the Mudbloods. A disgrace to true Pureblooded families everywhere." With that, Draco stalked off. 

Puck sat at the table, stunned. Had Draco been telling the truth at first? If he had, then why had he suddenly contradicted himself and, with a totally straight face, laughed at her and insulted all her friends? 

She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice Harry until he gently set down a stack of books on her table. 

"Hey, why the long face?" 

She started, and looked up. Harry could see her trying to force a smile onto her face, but it was a half-hearted attempt at best. He sat down in the chair Draco had recently vacated. 

"Tell me about it." 

He listened as Puck explained exactly what Draco had said, his face looking grimmer by the minute. So *that* was why the Malfoys had adopted Puck! And it looked as though Voldemort was back as well. He supposed that was inevitable. Oh well. It had been good while it lasted. 

***** 

A/N: That's not too much of a cliffhanger, is it? Knowing me, of course it is. Sorry. For everyone who is getting fed up with me taking so long to get the chapters out, there is an answer! ::tries not to sound like a bad infomercial:: E-mail me (or leave extra reviews ^.^) and yell at me! Or ask me nicely to start writing again, and ignore the calls of the kitchen and snack food. Make me feel guilty. ::realizes she is giving the reviewers ideas:: Or make me feel guilty in your first review. ^^;; 

Til next time! ~Bronze Eagle 


	10. Revelations

Harry Potter and the Face of Destiny 

By Bronze Eagle 

Chapter 10 

A/N: Once again, I'm extremely sorry to be getting this out so late. I promised myself I'd get it out by the end of April, and I have (just barely). Also, I owe an apology to everyone I told I would get this out by ... well, almost two weeks ago. If it's too much trouble to check back here every so often to see if there's a new chapter (which I totally understand), e-mail me or ask me in a review, and I'll send you an e-mail notification every time a chapter comes out. It's my way of saying thanks for reviews, I guess. Thanks to everyone who did!!! 

The chapter dedication goes to kittyluver87 again. She reviewed every week until I made her stop, because I really didn't deserve all those reviews. A big hug to you, though, kittyluver. I appreciated those reviews so much! And now, on to the story. (Dum dum!) 

***** 

Puck had to half-jog to keep up with Harry's long strides as they hurried down to the Great Hall. 

"So, it's not really Draco' fault he was so mean in the library?" 

Harry hesitated, then stopped walking. "Well, let me put it this way. In my last four years here, we hated each other. I wouldn't have put anything past him. But now I know him a bit better, and he seems to have changed, at least a little. And I'm sure he wouldn't want to do anything to hurt you. He really cares about you, you know." 

Puck looked at him suspiciously. "So, if he wouldn't do anything to hurt me, who was I talking to in the library?" 

Harry cursed himself. He couldn't tell her the whole truth; Voldemort would know. He had a sixth sense about things like that. But what could he tell her? He certainly didn't want to lie. 

He decided on as much of the truth as safety would allow. "I can't tell you. It was Draco's body, though." 

"Someone else's mind?" Puck mused for a moment. "But he's not like that all the time. So someone out there is taking over his body and can do it at will, right? And he knows it, but can't do anything about it." Harry gaped at her. "Am I right so far?" 

He snapped his mouth shut. "I really can't tell you. I wish I could." He started walking rapidly toward the Great Hall, leaving a very confused and annoyed Puck behind. 

Harry's mind was whirling. Would Voldemort carry out his threat if Puck figured it out herself? He hoped not. She was extremely quick. He had to be careful not to let too much slip. 

'Hey, Malfoy, you back yet?' 

'Ow.' 

'Huh?' 

'I have a headache.' Harry could feel Draco wincing. It was a very strange sensation. 'Could you come, uh, here?' Draco showed him where he was in a combination of pictures, sensations, and sounds. Harry found he had a very clear "map" in his head to where Draco was. 

'Oh, that room near the Charms corridor ... yeah, I know where you mean.' He started off in that direction. 'Puck's okay. I told her it wasn't really you who was saying those things.' 

'You told her? What the hell did you do that for?!' 

'I didn't tell her who she was talking to; just that it wasn't you. She's figured out that someone can take over your body, though, so don't let anything slip.' 

'I won't.' Harry thought he must be getting more sensitive to Draco's mind, because he "heard" some "muttering" that he didn't think Draco had meant for him to sense. 

'I said I was sorry,' Harry though in an injured "voice." 

'No, you didn't.' He paused as what Harry had said sank in. 'Did you just, uh, "hear" what I was thinking?' 

'You mean how you hoped that my broom would - ' 

'Yes! Er - ' 

'Or how - ' 

'Shut it, Potter. I didn't think you'd pick that up, so, uh, sorry.' 

'Did you just apologize to me?' 

'Yes. Don't get used to it.' 

'YOU, apologizing to ME?' 

'Yes.' 

'I think you must be getting soft, Malfoy. Getting more - ' 

'If you were going to say "sentimental," I will hurt you in the most painful way I can think of, Potter.' 

'Is that a threat?' 

'No, it's a promise.' 

'Getting more, uh, what I meant to say was, um - ' 

'Never mind. I'd start running, if I were you.' 

'Whatever happened to "sorry"?' 

'Very funny.' 

Harry was silent for a few minutes as he jogged down the corridor. Then suddenly, something occurred to him. 

'Hey, Malfoy, what do you want to see me for, anyway?' 

There was a pause as Draco tried to decide what to tell him. 

'Well, I guess I wanted to talk to you.' 

Harry stopped, and rolled his eyes at the nearest suit of armor. 

'Draco,' he thought slowly, 'we're talking right now. We don't need to be face-to-face to have a conversation.' 

'I know that, Potter. I'm not stupid. I just don't quite ... trust this mind-speaking stuff, I guess.' 

'Care to explain?' 

'When you get here, I'll explain out loud,' Draco thought pointedly. 

Harry decided there was no point in drilling the other for information until he got the meeting place. It seemed to be taking forever to get there, though, especially since he was being careful to avoid other students. Finally, he arrived and knocked quietly on the door of the empty classroom Draco had showed him. The door opened almost immediately. 

"Well, there you are. Took you long enough." 

"Sorry I wasn't fast enough for you, your majesty." Harry ducked under Draco's arm and into the dusty room. "Not exactly first-class accommodations, huh?" 

Draco turned to him, shutting the door with a click. "We have to talk." 

"I gathered as much. So, tell me, why don't you trust out little mind-speaking thing?" 

"Because this isn't the first time I've hard of it. Most wizards have the ability. But they only use it if they absolutely have to. Ever wonder how the prefects always know the password to the common room? They can use mind-speaking to ask the head of the House. But ... well, that's about all they can do. The conversations we've had? Over long distances, for so long? Only a really good wizard, like Dumbledore, can do that. At least, that's what I thought. But we're fifth years." 

'Harry, I shouldn't be able to do this.' 

Harry stared at him. "Well, some prefects are fifth years, right?" he asked weakly. 

"Right, Potter. Do you really think Justin Flinch-Fletchly could strike up a casual conversation with you right now, without talking?" 

Harry had no reply to that. 

***** 

Puck forked her cold spaghetti from one side of her plate to the other. She'd been starving at breakfast and lunch, but it seemed her appetite had deserted her. And anyway, Crabbe and Goyle were hogging the meatballs. (They seemed to have large bumps on their heads, and kept scowling at her between helpings of lasagna.) 

She sighed to herself and set down her fork. She had to look for Draco, she decided, to see how he was doing and ask him a few questions. She would have gone over to ask Harry if he knew where her brother was, but the Gryffindor table seemed to be missing one of its usual occupants as well. She rose, ignoring the stares and whispers of her House-mates. Well, she could find Draco on her own. 

***** 

"Okay," Harry said, unsuccessfully trying to calm down. "If we do have some sort of special ability, or something, why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" 

"Hasn't Weasley ever told you about speaking mind-to-mind?" 

"No." 

"Oh. Well, ah, actually, I didn't really start thinking about it until recently. Voldemort, when he was talking to me at first, was really close by. Then, when we were going to King's Cross, I just started talking to you. I didn't even know where you were, but it seemed natural, because I'd been talking with Voldemort so much. It just - well, to be honest with you, it seemed like when I was expecting to be able to get in touch with you, and forgetting that I shouldn't be able to, I could. I don't know if that makes any sense, but ..." he shrugged. 

"So Voldemort was the first person you ever spoke to mind-to-mind?" 

"Yeah, but he always started the conversations. I wasn't exactly jumping for joy when he came to visit, you know." 

"You mean he actually came to see you?" Harry straightened, excited. 

"I tink he likes watching people scream," Draco replied thoughtfully. 

"But he never cast the Cruciatus Curse on you when he was on the other end of the building, did he?" 

"N ... no. I don't think so." 

Harry grinned triumphantly. "Then he can't hurt you here! You're safe." 

Draco didn't seem to share the Gryffindor's confidence. "But if he figured out how to cast the Imperious Curse over that long a distance, then he can probably figure out how to cast the Cruciatus Curse over that long a distance. And anyway, he said he could." 

Harry shook his head slowly. "No, I don't think so. He was probably bluffing when he said that. Do you remember when Moody did a demonstration of the Unforgivable Curses last year? Well, I don't know about you, but I got the sense from him that you need a lot of anger, or something, to cast Crucio and Avada Kedavra. And the Imperious that Voldemort casts on you isn't even as strong as if he'd cast it normally. That's why you still kind of know what's going on when he's in your head, I think." 

Draco looked at him thoughtfully. "You know, you may be right. When my father - well, yeah, I think you're right about the anger thing, at least." 

Harry looked at him closely. "When your father what?" 

Draco looked away. "Nothing." 

"Malfoy, your father hasn't used any of the Unforgivable Curses on you, has he?" 

"None of your business, Potter." 

But Harry wouldn't give up. "I always thought your parents spoiled you rotten. But that was an act, wasn't it?" Draco said nothing. "God, your own father ... I'm sorry." 

"I didn't want you to come here to discuss my life story, Potter," Draco continued after a moment. "I wanted to ask you something." 

"What's that?" 

"Well ... It's about Puck. Have you ever thought that she's not just what she says she is?" Harry raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Not normal?" 

"Now that you mention it," Harry mused, "she does kind of seem like she's hiding something. Why do you ask?" 

"During Divination, I found something out. She's a, a seer, Harry." 

If Draco was expecting him to be impressed, he was disappointed. 

"A seer?" Harry scoffed. "Like Trelawny? You must be joking." 

"No, a real seer. Not like Trelawny. I don't know if even she realizes it, but she knows things. She read my teacup practically without looking at her book. And she's never taken a Divination class in her life. I asked." 

"So she did some extra homework. I don't get it, Malfoy, what's the big deal?" 

"It was more than that, though. I got a feeling rom her, like she knew exactly what she was doing. And there was one symbol that wasn't in the book, but she still had a guess as to what it meant. Did you do that in your first day of reading tea leaves? I don't think so." 

Harry sat down on a creaky old desk. "This is all a bit much, you know. It's only the second day we've been here, and already it's Voldemort this, seers that. Why can't I ever have normal life?" 

"Because you're not normal?" Draco suggested innocently. 

"Shut up, Malfoy. I got enough of that from the Dursleys to last me a lifetime." Harry sighed, and leaned back on his elbows. "Why did Voldemort come to see you in the first place, at your house? I kind of got the sense that Death Eater's families were expected to stay out of their business." 

"So did I, but I guess he was making an exception for me. All he ever said was he'd kill people if I told, and how he thought I might have had more intelligence than my father. I dunno what he meant by that, though ... " he trailed off. "Harry," he croaked, "you don't think he killed Lavender's parents because I told you, do you? He wouldn't have, would he? I mean, you already knew that he was controlling me from that vision you had, when he was, you know, torturing me. He wouldn't consider if telling if you already knew, would he? Would he, Harry?" 

But Harry just sat on the desk, shaking. "I don't know. But I wouldn't put it past him." 

Outside the classroom, Puck slid silently down the wall, her mouth open in a silent "Oh." 

***** 

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were now very worried about Harry. After Ron admitted he had left Harry in the library, they all expected him to come running into the Hall at any minute, as Harry usually spent as little time as possible there. When he hadn't shown up by the end of dinner, they were seriously concerned. They threaded through the buzzing crowd, and finally emerged in the Entrance Hall. 

"Wait a minute," Ginny said, tugging on the back of Ron's robes. "Where're Puck and Draco? Did you see then over at the Slytherin table?" 

"I saw Puck leaving the Hall about half way through dinner, but Malfoy wasn't with her," said Ron. 

"I didn't see him at all, actually," added Hermione. 

"We should probably find them, too, Ginny said firmly. 

"Do we have to?" yawned Ron. "I'm really tired, and we have Potions homework." 

"They're probably with Harry anyway, Ron. And if we don't start now, we won't find any of them before you fall asleep on us. Literally and metaphorically." Ginny grinned at her brother. "C'mon, lazybones. Let's start looking." 

They had just barely begun to walk toward the library when they ran into Puck. "Ron, Hermione, Ginny! Thank goodness I've found you. I have to tell you something. There's ... just come into this room. I don't think anyone else should hear this." 

Looking perplexed, the three followed Puck into an old broom closet. "Puck, what ...?" 

"This is really important," she said, ignoring Ron. "I was going to look for Draco, because he wasn't at dinner and I was a little worried, only I got lost. I was wandering around, looking for something I recognized when I heard voices. I went toward them, and it turned out to be Harry and Draco. They were in a room with the door shut, so they didn't know I was there. I was going to knock, but when I hear what they were saying ... " she took a deep breath. "You-Know-Who can take over Draco whenever he wants to. He started doing it when he was at the Malfoy's house sometime this summer, I think. Harry found out about it somehow - through some kind of vision or dream, I'm not sure. Anyway, You-Know-Who threatened to kill people if Draco told anyone, so he didn't until Harry found out through - whatever. After that, Draco told him all about it, but now they think maybe You-Know-Who killed that girl Lavender's parents because of then. I left after that. I wanted to let you know." 

The three others stood stock still, trying to process what they had just been told. Finally, Ginny broke the silence. "So, if he can control Draco, then it was probably You-Know-Who on Platform 9 3/4 trying to get us mad at Draco. And that's why Harry seemed to be hiding something - because he knew." 

"But how?" asked Hermione. "How could he know about Draco? They didn't say anything about it on the train before Harry defended Draco - I bet he knew then. And they couldn't have talked when we were all in Diagon Alley; we were with them." 

"There must be something else," Ron said, finally seeming to pull himself together. "Those two must have something else they're not telling us. And we have to find out what it is." 

***** 

Draco suddenly gasped and squeezed his eyes shut. "He's coming ... Get away - " Harry barely had time to jump to his feet and pull out his wand before Draco's eyes opened. Harry wasn't the least surprised to see that Draco's grey eyes had taken on a reddish hue. 

He cast the same spell Harry had seen on the train; greenish light insulated the room against any intrusion. 

"What're you doing here? Don't you know Dumbledore can tell when you're around? He'll be here any minute." 

"I don't think so, Potter. He can't sense my aura through this field I have up. Incidentally, that also means that any Dark detection spells won't work here either." His smile turned crueler. "And even if I don't hurt this boy here, I can still do considerable damage to you." Harry stepped back, and Draco/Voldemort laughed mirthlessly. "No, not now, Potter, not yet. Your time will come soon enough. I wanted to see your face when you found out there would be more deaths like that couple last night and - Diggory, wasn't it?" 

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

"Oh, I thought you knew." The cruel smile was back. "Or didn't you realize Goodfellow was outside this room when you were talking with young Malfoy here about myself?" 

"No," Harry whispered. "That - you can't - don't hurt anyone else!" 

"Ah, but you see, she told. Now all your other little friends know, and I can't have that. We'll have to think of a suitable punishment, won't we? No one disobeys Lord Voldemort." 

Harry was shaking again, this time with anger. "What do you want with him, anyway? If you're using him just to get to me, don't. I'd come willingly, but I know you wouldn't stop hurting him." 

"Not everything is about you, Potter." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"Miss Goodfellow has been keeping secrets, I see. Such a shame. Well, I believe your friends are waiting to see you." With that, the red in Draco's eyes faded, and he fell backwards to the floor. Harry caught him by the shoulders, then became aware of an insistent pounding on the door. 

"Harry! Draco! Are you in there?" 

Harry set Draco down on the floor, and cautiously walked to the door of the classroom. The spell Voldemort had cast seemed to have left with him, for he could hear his friends quite clearly. 

"Puck, are you sure this is the right door? It's the third one already ... " 

"I thought I had it this time.' The pounding stopped, and Harry imagined that she had put her ear up to the door. "I don't hear anything, though. Maybe you're right." 

Harry had made up his mind. If Puck really had told, then they all knew anyway. He crossed the room and opened the door. Puck, who had been going to try one more time to get a response from the uncooperative door, nearly took his left eye out. He gave a yell and jumped back. 

"Harry! There you are. Uh, sorry about that. Why didn't you answer before? And where's Draco?" 

"I was a little busy. And Draco's ... " he glanced back into the room. The blond boy was still out cold. "He's ... Well, you might as well come in." 

The four others filed into the room behind him, looking with shock at Draco. "He doesn't take very well to being possessed," Harry said, with a failed attempt at a grin. 

Ron looked a bit thunderstruck. "You mean it's actually true," he whispered. "Puck told us, but I just couldn't picture Malfoy and you cooperating." 

Harry dropped his eyes to the floor. "So, you told?" 

Puck gulped, suddenly apprehensive. "I heard you two talking when I was in the hall ... and, well, I guess I thought you shouldn't have been keeping something that big from the rest of us. You-Know-Who is really dangerous." 

"Exactly," Harry said in a hopeless sort of tone. "We couldn't tell you. He said he'd hurt - kill - people. I think he might have killed Lavender's parents because I found out. I don't know what he'll do now that all of you know. And Draco keeps getting worse - " he broke off. "Just promise that you won't tell anyone. Not even Dumbledore." 

They were silent for a moment. Then Ginny said, "But, Harry, won't Dumbldore be able to help? I mean, he knows much more than any of us about Dark magic ... " she trailed off at the look on Harry's face. "Oh, okay, I promise." 

Eventually, the others promised as well. Ron, white as a sheet, swore fervently, as did Puck, who looked stricken. Hermione was the hardest to convince. "Harry, Dumbledore could be your greatest ally! He's had experience battling You-Know-Who - " 

"I've faced Voldemort before!" 

"And the last time, you escaped by the skin of your teeth. He's stronger now, Harry. Much stronger. You can't do this by yourself." 

Harry's hot reply was cut off by a groan from Draco. Puck was at his side in an instant, raising him from the floor with surprising gentleness. 

"How are you?" she asked. 

"My headache's back," he whispered, squinting. "And - What're you all doing here?!" 

'They know,' Harry thought quickly. 'Puck was outside the room when we were talking about Voldemort. She told them about him, but I don't think any of them know about the mind-speaking. We have to keep it that way. The less they know, the better.' 

Draco was staring at Harry intently, meaning to reply. However, Ron's eyes were snapping back and forth between the two of them. He suddenly looked hard at Harry. "Okay, what were you just doing?" 

"Nothing," said Harry, a little to quickly. Draco rolled his eyes. Harry had never been a convincing liar. "I wasn't doing anything." Ron raised his eyebrows skeptically. 

"Oh, give him a break, Weasley," Draco said, wincing a little as he pulled himself to his feet. "It's not like we're hiding anything else from you now." 

"Nothing?" Hermione asked, sounding as though she were anything but convinced. 

"Nothing," Harry and Draco replied together. 

***** 

A/N: Again, sorry about taking so long. Hopefully, the next chapter will take less than two month to get out. ^^;; Remember, e-mail me or tell me in your review if you want notification of a new chapter. (My e-mail is BronzeEagle13@hotmail.com.) 'Til next time! 

~Bronze Eagle 


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